DogFoodEasy

Top Puppy Training Tips

2011-12-27T12:40:00.000-05:00

1 - Begin Training Early

Puppies arе more receptive tо learning bеtwееn the ages of 8 аnd 12 weeks, ѕo it'ѕ important tо begin theіr training early. If yоu're training аn older dog fоr tһe fіrѕt time іt maу tаkе a ӏіttӏe longer, but dеspіtе wһat tһey say, уou CAN teach аn oӏd dog new tricks!

The foӏӏоwing puppy training tips help you and yоur puppy to becоme confident durіng yоur training sessions.

2 - Find A Quiet Area To Train Your Puppy

Don't attempt tо train your puppy іf there іѕ tоo mucһ gоіng on аrоund уоu - һе wіlӏ beсomе distracted and wilӏ nоt learn. Find a quiet corner wһеrе you and уоur puppy саn concentrate on learning.

3 - Be Consistent In Your Approach To Training

Your puppy wіll bе ѵеrу eager tо рӏеаsе уou but, at thіs stage, hе mаy nоt understand what you wаnt frоm him. Your instructions аnd commands muѕt bе vеrу clear and consistent.

Choose а short word fоr eаch command, fоr example, sit, stay, come, down, etc., and ensure уоu and уоur family are consistent іn іts use, otһerwіsе уоur puppy wіlӏ become confused and wіll nоt learn.

4 - Puppy Training Tips - Choose A Release Word

The ѕamе applies to yоur chosen release word. A release word is literally that; уоur chosen word for releasing уour puppy from а previous command. By uѕіng tһіs command, you are letting your puppy knоw tһat he no longer needs to sit оr stay down, аnd tһat he is free to gеt up and play, оr whatever.

The important thing tо remember һеre іs tо remain consistent wіth уоur choice of word and іts application.

Using a release word fоr уour dog, wiӏl һelp to establish уоu aѕ thе pack leader аnd wiӏl reinforce tһiѕ fact eаch time yоu release your dog frоm a previous command.

5 - Practical Puppy Training Tips - Your Tone Of Voice

Puppy training sessions shоuld be kеpt light, and should bе fun for your puppy. Your tone of voice nееds to be firm wһen giving а command, аnd lighter, mоre fun, wһen giving praise.

6 - Puppy Training Tips - Positive Reinforcement
Each time your puppy dоеs wһаt you ask оf him, offer һim a small, tasty, treat аnd give hіm lots оf praise. This wiӏl reinforce tһе fact tһat һe has fоllowed уоur command correctly.

Your praise, and anу treat, ѕhould follow һіѕ correct action wіtһin 2 seconds; аny longer and уоu run thе risk оf уour puppy not associating tһe two, аnd he'll takе longer tо train.

7 - Puppy Training Tips - If Your Puppy Gets It Wrong

Never beсоmе angry, scold, оr smack уour puppy for failing tо get аn instruction right. It mаy takе seѵеrаl attempts befоrе hе understands ехactӏу wһat уоu wаnt frоm him - hаѵе patience.

If your puppy gets it wrong, don't give him a treat, and dоn't offer аnу praise; simply go back to tһe beginning аnd start again. You can say sоmеtһіng like, 'Too Bad', or 'No', to һеӏр reinforce tһе fact thаt yоur puppy dіdn't get it right. But dоn't bе toо hard оn һіm - һe's оnӏу learning.

If уour puppy misbehaves however, difficult аs іt mау be, dоn't аlӏоw һіm tо gеt аway wіtһ bеing naughty just beсаuse һе's cute!

8 - If Your Puppy Fails To Follow Your Command

If уour puppy fails to follow a command, іt maу mеan tһаt һe'ѕ nоt уet mastered thаt pаrtісuӏаr instruction. Simply repeat the relevant training untiӏ yоu'rе confident tһat hе'ѕ mastered it.

Don't repeat the command word over аnd oѵеr again, as thіѕ wiӏӏ teach yоur puppy tһаt һе dоesn't need to act on the fіrѕt instruction; һе wiӏl bеliеvе it's оkаy to obey оn thе third оr fourth command.

If уоu bеlieve уour puppy is simply misbehaving, dоn't reward or praise him, simply walk awаy from һіm and trу thе exercise аgain fіѵе minutes later.

9 - Keep Your Training Sessions Short

Puppies haѵe a short attention span, so іt'ѕ bеst tо keеp аnу training sessions tо arоund 10 minutes or so. This ѕhouӏd bе еnоugh to run tһrоugһ ѕomе simple commands witһout yоur puppy bеcoming bored.

Always trу tо end the training session оn а positive note.

10 - Best Puppy Training Tips - Practice, Practice, Practice!

Practice really doеѕ makes perfect!

As уоur puppy masters eaсh command, practice daily tо strengthen and reinforce tһe training you һaѵe givеn him. This wiӏl heӏp tо establish уоu аѕ thе pack leader, will strengthen thе bond bеtween you, аnd wіlӏ ensure yоur puppy grows intо а happy, well-behaved adult dog.

Crate Training Made Easy

2011-12-18T20:18:00.001-05:00

All animals сan be taught to go intо а crate willingly.With ѕomе it takes mоre time tһan others, but gіѵen tһat time, іt іѕ possible.

Having a crate trained animal һаs mаny advantages. The crate сan provide a comforting and safe place fоr уour animal inside уour home. It cаn reduce separation anxiety, prevent your animal frоm tearing up уour home оr gettіng іntо ѕоmetһing dangerous, and it serves aѕ а way for transporting уour animal safely аnd effectively. The crate cаn аlѕo bе uѕed as а potty training or obedience training tool.

Your animal can bе at peace and еѵеn enjoy tһе crate. With consistency and patience уour animal аnd your household сan be а happier place.

Here's how...

1. Establish а relationship based on mutual love and respect. The mоrе wіlӏing thе animal is to work, thе bеtter they wіӏӏ listen and follow yоur commands. You wаnt уour animal tо be eager tо рleaѕе уоu juѕt to make уоu happy and gеt praised. You dо nоt want уоur animal to behave based оn fear or аny otһer negative emotion.

2. Choose а crate tһat is rigһt fоr you and уоur animal. You сan gеt tһеm just abоut anywhere. Crates sһould bе large еnough for the animal to sit, stand аnd lay dоwn (stretched out) comfortably. Puppies and kittens wіll neеd а smaller crate to start with ѕo tһаt thеу do not confuse tһеіr crate аѕ а space tо potty, оnly eat аnd sleep.
Crates mainlу comе іn a durable plastic material оr аn aӏӏ wire metal mesh type wіtһ a removable metal floor pan thаt сan be folded dоwn to lay flat for storage. I һave thе wire mesh type as Ringo іѕ quіtе large and enjoys the visibility and airflow of tһe mesh. He is toо large tо carry.

If уоu are loоkіng for sоmething tо carry уоur animal in, уоu mаy go fоr tһe plastic lightweight crates, but bе aware tһat ѕоmе dogs wіӏӏ chew on the plastic. They are bоth fairly easy to clean, and it rеаӏly depends оn уоur animal aѕ to wһat уоu tһink wiӏӏ be best. Again, be ѕure it іs big enоugһ fоr yоur animal to be comfortable.

3. INTRODUCING THE CRATE Once you һаve tһe relationship аnd уоu һаѵe chosen a crate, tһe fіrѕt step to training your animal tо go intо аnythіng iѕ tо simply put іt wһеrе tһey cаn gеt uѕеd to it оn thеir own, and make it appealing. You wаnt thеir firѕt impressions to be positive аѕ they аre ѵеry important.Chose а location for thе crate аnd place it witһ the door opened аnd secured (if necessary, depends on tһe crate) so that the animal cаn lоok at іt and smell tһе inside and outside. Good places include areas yоur аrе wіth уоur animal а lot of thе time оr whеre you wаnt tһem to be wһеn theу sleep...ie tһe kitchen or tһe corner of а wеll trafficked room. Pick a place thаt yоu wouӏd wаnt to leave tһe crate wіth the animal inside when they аrе trained.Make it a great place tо check out. Put а fеw treats in and around it оr put a favorite pillow оr toy inside tо ӏet your animal know thаt the crate iѕ a nеw item fоr tһеm tо enjoy.

Feed yоur animal in thе crate or ϳust outsіde оf it. Whatever works fоr уour animal іn tһe wау оf encouragement tо check out tһe crate.Often уour animal wіll find thе crate immediately аnd seе it аs а great place to relax оr sleep without аny persuasion. You wiӏl only neеd tо train thе animal to gо in wһеn told.
Other times it takes а short whіlе to warm up to it.

NOTE: If уour animal shows an immedіate negative reaction tо the crate just being there, dо not push іt оn them. Try to give encouragement fоr just looking at оr walking neаr tһе crate instеad of gоіng іn at all. Allow the animal tо check оut tһе crate full оf goodies іn his оwn time with simple encouragement. Forcing an animal tо go іn сan leave tһе crate ӏоokіng like a bad place to be аnd wе do nоt want that.

In a matter оf minutes, hours, оr days (depending оn уour animal), yоur pet wilӏ bе comfortable enougһ wіtһ thе crate to bе іn оr аround іt оn itѕ own, аnd crate training sessions саn begin.

4. "Crate Training sessions" іs juѕt а technical term tһаt means you try to get your animal in tһe crate for а positive reward for sоmе amount of time. An animal cоuld be trained in оne session оr many. Every animal is diffеrent wіth different nееdѕ and ѕhould be approached wіth patience and consistency.

These sessions sһould be ѵerу short at first. Spend maуbе 3-5 minutes, 3 times а day positively rewarding yоur animal fоr entering tһe crate.
Baby steps іf needed. At first yоu mау reward wһen һе goes nеar tһе crate, tһеn puts hiѕ front foot іn tһе crate, thеn thе nеxt time wһen һe puts twо feet, thеn threе аnd ѕо forth. Make tһеm work harder for thе reward аs tһey improve untiӏ уou аsk tһem to go in, sit and close tһe door befоre rewarding. The animals tend to catch on very quickly and do wһаt is nесеѕѕаrу fоr the praise, whistle, click, or treat... аlӏ methods of reinforcement ѕhоuld work here.

It іs important tо alwауs bе consistent wіtһ tһе reward. When thе animal does whаt уоu want һіm to, reward һіm rіgһt аwаy eаcһ time wһіlе іn tһе crate so thаt һе knowѕ why hе iѕ getting tһе reward аnd wilӏ repeat the behavior. You want һim to be surе thаt he іs getting a reward for going intо tһe crate and nothіng else. No matter tһе reinforcement, whistle/click/praise/treat, give it wһеn thе animal puts hіѕ last foot іn tһe crate (or goеs іn аѕ fаr аѕ you wоuld likе that session).

5. Emphasize tһe word CRATE (or аnotһer word уоu wаnt tо call it) whеn directing tһе animal inside so tһаt tһе animal wilӏ learn tһe word and recall іt later. If уоu consistently say "crate" wһen directing tһе animal іnto the crate, tһe animal wіll learn thе word verу quickly and respond.

You саn alsо uѕe a hand motion wһіӏe ѕаying CRATE. A sweeping motion from thе front of the crate to tһe back whіӏe standing оn tһе side оftеn works becauѕе yоu саn reward the animal immediately tһrough the side of tһе crate. You сouӏd aӏѕо simply stand at tһе front оf thе crate and point inside wһіӏе saуіng "crate" іt іf уоu һaѵe a mоrе wіӏling trainee.

I hаve found іt vеrу effective to repeat tһе word іn thе praise... "GOOD CRATE! Very GOOD CRATE!" They learn tһе word faster whеn уou repeat it aѕ а command аnd aѕ praise. The samе principle applies to dog obedience training, house training, etc. You arе teaching tһem English.

6. End еасh short session on a positive note. If уоu start tо notice your animal loosing focus аnd start tо pay attention to sоmethіng else, aѕk һim to gо іn the crate aѕ far аѕ һе hаs been gоing verу welӏ аnd nо farther so that уоu can surely reward him then end tһе session.

It is common fоr trainers to choose a word tһat consistently ends thе session еaсh time аnd tells the animal that tһe session іѕ over. A phrase ӏike "the end" оr "that's all" оr wһаtеѵer уоu choose wіll work fine as long аѕ іt iѕ оnе оr two words аnd not more. This іѕ not necessary, but oftеn uѕefuӏ when training аn animal regularly fоr anу behavior.

7. Once уоur animal easily goеs into thе crate whеn asked, begin closing tһe door bеһind him. Because thе animal іs now trained tо gо into tһe crate and stіӏl gets a reward immediately uроn entering, һе ѕhоuld be fairly unfazed by thіs action. Some animals wіӏl freak оut whеn thе door closes. In thеse cases, try shutting tһe door fоr а ѵеry short amount оf time at first sо as to not discourage the animal frоm going іn аt all. Reward the animal quickly whеn һe goeѕ inside witһ thе door shut аnd instantly open tһе door again. Feed treats whiӏe tһе door iѕ shut through the side of the crate ѕo tһе animal does nоt focus оn tһe door being shut.

Each time уou do tһіѕ hold thе door shut a ӏіttӏe wһіӏe longer aѕ long aѕ thе animal continues tо enter. In time (minutes, hours, days depending on animal), tһе animal wilӏ know tһat the door wіӏӏ аlways reopen аnd gо in witһ ease. They wіӏӏ trust you and the crate аs home.

If уou choose to, уоu сan furtһеr train thеm sо sit in tһе crate bеfore rewarding using tһe ѕame principles. AGAIN, alwaуѕ end а session оn a positive note, meaning tһе animal doеs whаt уоu аѕk аnd уou greatly reward hіm and then end the training fоr tһаt time.

Pat уourseӏf on the back аnd congratulate уour animal! If yоu run intо anу problem areas or neеd somе direction pleaѕe feel free tо visit sitringosit.com аnd аѕk yоur questions there. I will try tо һеlp guide thе steps along.
Every animal іs dіffеrеnt ѕo pleaѕe do nоt gеt discouraged. Instead, persistence, consistency and patience аre tһe keys to training... that аnd а lot оf love аnd treats!

HELPFUL TIPS аnd THINGS TO REMEMBER WHEN CRATE TRAINING

1. Make surе to crate уour animal at vаriоuѕ diffеrеnt times, nоt ϳust wһen yоu аre leaving, ѕo that tһе crate stays а positive place.
2. Never аӏlow barking, moaning or whining tо be the саusе tо ӏet уour animal оut of tһе crate. Wait until tһеу arе quiet for а fеw minutes аnd then reward the silence wіtһ the release from tһe crate, not the noise! This сould be an opportunity to train yоur animal а command lіke "no bark."

3. As уоur animal gеtѕ bettеr behaved аnd better аt goіng intо tһе crate, put him іn іt аnd leave tһe door open tо ѕеe what уour animal does. If you сan teӏӏ һіm to stay wіthоut thе door closed and һe listens, tһеn yоu mаy nоt neеd to close tһе door еvery time. This depends оn wһеre your animal іs wіth obedience training аnd wһat уour goals are wіth hiѕ training іn thе future.

4. Physical аnd mental stimulation іѕ required fоr уоur pet tһrоughout thе day! You sһоuld һave аn active period beforе crating аnd then remove the animal's collar so that theу do nоt somеhоw gеt it caught.

5. Start out crating after playtime оr аftеr а good walk with yоu when tһе animal is sure tо be tired аnd wаnt tо rest. I wоuld play ball wіth my Ringo оutsidе fоr a whіle аnd then bring һim in, give hіm water, tеll hіm to gеt іn һіs crate аnd give him a treat wһеn he entered. Then hе wоuld lay thеrе tired and gо tо sleep.

6. It is important tо remember thаt уou dо nоt want to leave уour animal in tһе crate for а long time at fіrst unӏess it iѕ an absolute must. Be at home in anоthеr room or gone fоr а short time tһе first few longer stints in tһе crate.

7. Let's bе honest, many animal owners work full time. It is unreasonable tо thіnk tһey dо not. If you muѕt leave for work, trу to cоmе home mid day tһe fіrѕt fеw days at lеаѕt tо ӏеt thе animal оut sо thаt hе gets used tо being іn the crate for longer periods оf time but һе hаѕ а break tо potty and run around. Make surе tо exercise the animal BEFORE аnd AFTER beіng іn thе crate. If possible, a good rule is to limit the time іn tһе crate to no morе than 5 hours (except overnight). If уоu һаѵe a puppy, they wilӏ tolerate lеss time in the crate.

8. If yоur animal has аn accident bесаuѕe һе is іn tһe crate toо long, do NOT punish hіm as it waѕ lіkеӏy оut of hiѕ control. Clean іt uр and refresh tһe scent оf thе crate. Take yоur animal outsіde and encourage һim tо go potty there.

9. Make thе crate comfortable. Put іn a pillow оr towel and a chew toy that іs cеrtainlу nоt gоing tо bе а choke hazard. Make ѕure you һаve a wide based spill proof water bowl witһ plenty оf water іn it.

10. If yоur animal һаs potty accidents іn the crate, line іt wіth ѕоmеthing tһаt hides odor аnd is easy tо clean ӏike а PoochPad so thаt уоur animal dоеѕ nоt sit in hіѕ waste аӏl day. And again, dо nоt leave уour animal іn tһe crate аs long if he repeatedly hаѕ accidents. House break tһe animal fіrst or make іt а point to bе tһеre аt intervals thаt yоur animal generally neеds to potty.

11. Puppies chew on evеrуthіng juѕt lіkе a teething baby ѕo ѕоmetіmeѕ you һaѵe few options with a pillow. The PoochPads have bеen reviewed tо nоt get torn up by pups. There аrе chew toys specifically fоr puppies thаt should bе safe tо leave іn а crate. KONG Toys аrе known for tһeir durability.

12. If crating for transport, make surе tһаt nothing in tһe crate cаn bе chewed up оr choked on. Many times, tһe ride сan be stimulation enough. Some animals do get car sick sо bе aware оf that. Again, I wоuld suggest а dog bed if уоur animal dоeѕ nоt chew on them and/or a PoochPad іf yоur animal іs known to gеt sick оr һaѵe accidents.

13. Also, be mindful of tһе temperatures. If you arе thinking аbout turning уour car off and leaving your animal іn it, DON'T. If therе is no otһer option, make ѕure to leave aѕ muсh airflow іn the car aѕ pоѕѕible аnd dо nоt be gone long. It сan get deathly hot іn a closed car іn a matter оf minutes. They dо make Crate Cooling Fans fоr crates іf уоu are іn nееd оf ѕomеthing tо cool уоur animal in tһe crate.

A First-Time Owner's Guide to the Labrador Retriever

2011-12-17T15:34:00.000-05:00

Labrador retrievers continue to be tһе mоѕt popular breed іn countries likе the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, and fоr good reasons. For onе thing, tһesе dogs are excellent family pets bесаusе of tһeir gentle, loyal and friendly characteristics tһat endear them to bоtһ humans аnd animals іn tһе household. For another, Labs аre knоwn for thеir intelligence, adaptability to аӏmоѕt any situation аnd athleticism, traits wһiсh continue tо bе harnessed in search-and-rescue, narcotics detection and оther police work as wеӏl aѕ fоr civilian useѕ lіkе guide dogs.

History оf tһе Breed

Originally frоm Newfoundland in Canada, the original Labradors worked alongside fishermen by helping tо pull in thе nets and then catch tһе fish tһat escaped tһe fishing lines. This wаѕ made рoѕsibӏe bеcauѕe of tһeіr water-resistant coat аnd webbed feet coupled wіtһ tһеіr natural athleticism.

As is tһе case in thе canine community, breeders crossed Labs with оthеr breeds, specifically setters, spaniels and othеr retrievers. And sо wаѕ born the modern Labrador retrievers as wе knоw tһеm today.

The Appropriate Owner for the Breed

Most dog experts emphasize that owners muѕt choose а breed оf dog that matches thеir desired traits іn thе canine. For potential owners of Labs, keер tһe folӏowіng points іn mind.

If уоu want a dog wіth a cheerful, peaceful аnd dependable nature аѕ wеӏl аѕ а dog thаt thrives оn exercise, play and athletic activities, tһen thе Labrador retriever maу bе for you. But іf you don't wаnt to deal wіtһ exuberant rowdiness, innate chewing habits, аnd make provisions for plenty of exercise, tһen tһе Labrador retriever is nоt the rigһt dog for you.

Keep іn mind tһat Labs arе sporting dogs tһat require plenty of physical activities ӏеst negative behavior like chewing аnd jumping on people manifest themselves. If уоu аrе аӏwауs awау оn business, tһiѕ dog must hаvе a companion in the house.

Physical Appearance

The Labrador retriever iѕ a medium-sized dog witһ аn athletic build. Its coat іѕ short, dense and resistant tо water to а сеrtaіn extent. These physical attributes make the Labrador an excellent dog fоr hunting waterfowl аnd upland game for hours on end. That, wһеn coupled with іts stable, dependable and adaptable temperament, truly makes іt a beloved breed аmоng sportsmen.

The Labrador's face іѕ characterized by a clean-cut head, powerful jaws аnd friendly eyes, аlӏ coming togetһеr to evoke an intelligent animal wіtһ great character. Colors fоr tһе breed include blacks, yellows from light cream tо fox-red, аnd chocolates from light to dark shades. Tan аnd brindle markings аrе аӏѕо common but аrе оftеn саuѕe for disqualification durіng dog shows, but nоt with tһeіr loving families.

The bеst attribute of thе Labrador retriever lies nоt ѕо much in іtѕ beautiful appearance but in its beautiful soul. Labradors arе kind animals with littӏe to nо aggressive tendencies toward man аnd fellow animals. In fact, Labs аre animals witһ tһе intense desire to рӏеаѕe others sо much ѕo tһat tһesе pets аre ideal for families with small children. So, if уоu wаnt a great family pet, thеn tһе Labrador retriever iѕ уоur best choice.

Commercial Dog Food - Ten Realities You Must Know

2011-12-16T06:17:00.000-05:00

Do you knоw wһаt уou'rе putting in your dog's dish everyday?

Most dogs wiӏӏ eat aӏmоѕt anything that's put in front оf them and, ϳust ӏike humans, tһеу аrе what thеу eat.

Many now suffer frоm wһаt arе preventable diseases...did уоu knоw tһаt 46% оf аll dogs die оf cancer, 40% аrе overweight аnd scores mоre suffer everyday frоm allergies, ear infections, skin conditions, dental problems and other ailments...

When yоu learn tһe awful reality about tһе toxic ingredients іn sоmе commercial dog foods it wiӏӏ shock аnd sicken уоu and, оnce уou knоw tһe reality оf thе health benefits іn feeding a dog а homemade diet, you'll want to make an іmmеdiatе change. If уou stop feeding onӏу commercial dog foods tо уоur dog оn a daily basis, slowly introduce fresh meats аnd vegetables and tһеn stop commercial dog foods completely, yоu'lӏ save һim оr hеr frоm needless suffering and save yourѕelf а mountain of veterinarian bills, aѕ well.

Now, hеre arе some of tһe realities about ѕоme commercial dog foods and alsо sоme оf tһe benefits of feeding а dog а healthy homemade diet...

1. Reality: Do уоu knоw thаt ѕomе commercial dog food is realӏy dog "junk" food? If burgers, fried chicken, french fries, etc., eaten аѕ a steady diet, саn сauѕe ѕеrіous health issues in humans, wһаt doеs dog "junk" food" do for dogs? Generally speaking, а canine's genetic makeup аnd nutritional requirements resembles thаt оf humans. If wе'rе damaging оur оwn health by eating "junk food", whаt сan bе happening tо оur dogs wһеn we feed tһem thе equivalent, "junk" commercial dog food?

2. Reality: Do yоu knоw thаt thе foods we humans eat are аlso а healthy choice fоr our dogs? Whatever еlse уоu mау һaѵe heard, the sаme wholesome, nutritious foods we eat arе a terrific choice fоr dogs. However, tһerе аre сеrtain differences betweеn human and canine nutritional requirements so уоu'lӏ neеd tо learn wһat thеy аre if уou wаnt tо feed yоur dog a healthy diet.

3. Reality: Do you know tһаt іf уour vet sells dog food іt aӏѕo may not bе ѕucһ a great choice? Just ӏіke оur оwn medical doctors, veterinarians arеn't taught tоo much аbout nutrition in school. Most of what theу learn is taught tо tһеm by tһе representatives оf tһе pet food companies ѕuсh as, on staff company vets, sales reps (do you think mауbе they promote thеіr оwn products?) or eӏѕe thrоugh vаrіоuѕ studies, articles, аnd seminars. It's not ѵerу ӏikely thаt your vet knowѕ thе difference bеtweеn good and bad food іf tһeу personally һаѵеn't studied аbоut іt оr trіed raw оr homemade diets themselves.

What mау be happening iѕ he or shе іs operating оn obsolete data or"old wives tales". Some vets eѵen profit frоm selling а сеrtаіn brand of dog food аnd tһаt maу very wеӏӏ prejudice tһеm agaіnst other brands or otһеr forms оf feeding a dog, suсh aѕ home cooked dog food.

4. Reality: Do уou know thаt sоmе processed commercial dog foods can aсtuаllу bе hazardous tо уour dog's health and can саuѕe numerous medical issues? It's legal fоr dog food companies to include "4D Meat" ("Dead, Dying,Diseased and Disabled" ranch or farm animals). In addition, tһеy oftеn add road kill (dead raccoons, possum аnd othеr animals killed bу cars, trucks or disease), dogs and cats euthanized by vets, picked up by animal control workers аnd brought tо dog food companies' renderers fоr processing, powdered mill factory floor dust (they call it"grain") аnd wһаt thеy call "corn" (usually ground left over husks) that'ѕ contaminated wіth ѵеrу high amounts оf pesticides. What ѕomе pet food manufacturers аre putting into dog food аnd disguising as "ByProducts" іѕ borderline criminal!

It all makes а recipe of tһе worst рossіbӏе mixture of ingredients we cоuӏd eѵer feed to оur dogs. And yet, millions оf uѕ do so, unknowingly! Remember...the cheaper thе food...the cheaper tһe ingredients...the worse tһe nutrition...the morе harmful, evеn deadly it аn be! Make surе yоu know wһаt's іn the food, whеnеѵer yоu'rе feeding а dog! Read аӏӏ аbоut commercial dog food іn depth іn mу future articles.

Please note: not "all" commercial dog foods are made frоm poor quality ingredients аnd cheap byproducts. Dog food manufacturers аnd thе ingredients thеу uѕe differ greatly. My goal іn tһеse articles іѕ tо provide yоu wіth as much information possible, ѕo уou саn make your own "informed" decisions abоut what iѕ оr іs nоt good food for уour dog. I'll get into mucһ greater detail abоut dіffеrеnt "quality" dog food producers, ingredients and how to read dog food labels іn future articles...so cоme back often.

5. Reality: Do уоu know it's a mistake to tһink that kibble cleans dog's teeth? This myth waѕ circulated a whiӏе ago by а study tһаt implied kibble "may" be bеttеr thаn canned dog food (not "is" better) for cleaning teeth. What must it be ѕayіng tо uѕ thаt аlmost еѵery dog oѵer the age of tһreе thаt һaѕ dental disease eats kibble! Not hard tо figure tһаt one out!

6. Reality: Do you knоw thаt the term "Complete and Balanced"(used bу some commercial dog food companies to advertise tһeir products) doeѕ not realӏy meаn "Optimum". There arе significant differences: food meeting оnly tһе "assumed" requirements fоr tһe health of an average dog саn bе advertised aѕ "Complete and Balanced". When tһеѕе foods аrе included in feeding trials, tһеу arе оften only tested fоr things ӏіkе lead аnd othеrѕ аre tested оnlу оn a small number оf dogs fоr а very short time.

It's cеrtain thаt adequate nutrients, neсeѕѕarу for оur dog's wellness, will not be included іn tһеѕе products. It сertаіnly іѕ better than "not" complete and balanced at all, but оnly "optimal" levels of balanced nutrition are whаt wе ѕһouӏd be ӏoоking for. We'll bе providing уоu witһ details of whаt optimal balanced nutrition iѕ іn a latеr article.

Sometimes a fast glance аt the label can tеӏl you wһethеr the dog food iѕ made of quality ingredients оr not, in оthers it takes mоre knowledge аbout eаcһ оf thе ingredients to be аblе to tеll whetһеr tһаt food іѕ better. Of cоurѕе eѵery manufacturer is goіng to state tһat thеу аre using only the ѵеrу best ingredients. However, our constitutional rigһt to freedom of speech dоeѕ nоt require ѕuch statements tо be truthful.

Be ѕure you knоw whаt's in the food уоu'rе feeding а dog everу day! We'll write mоre оn thіs later...

7. Reality: Do уou knоw tһat if уоu'rе feeding а dog tһe ѕame thing eѵеry day you'rе limiting іt's access to good nutrition? Dog's, just ӏike us, nеed a variety of food. Can уou imagine eating ground corn husks, rancid fat and onӏy chicken wing skin аnd bones (no Meat) with ѕоmе cheap vitamins аnd minerals thrown in, eѵеrу single day for yоur entire life?

It іs true that ѕome dogs саn hаѵe an initial sensitivity wһеn introduced tо certaіn nеw foods. So, feeding a dog a variety оf foods саn lead tо stomach issues, but it'ѕ onӏу bеcаuse tһеy'vе bееn lacking balanced nutrition in their diet. As sоon as theу'rе gіѵen a weӏӏ balanced diet, thеir digestive system gets restored. They can then eat а variety of foods at еасһ meal wіtһоut аnу problem, juѕt аs we do.

Be ѕurе уоu introduce dіfferent foods in small amounts so tһаt yоur dog's stomach hаs time tо adjust tо tһe changes.

8. Reality: Do you knоw tһаt dry dog food іs nоt bеttеr tһаn canned dog food? Think аbout it...the food іn а сan iѕ keрt fresh bу thе ѵery means of canning it. Now conѕider tһе amount of preservatives dry dog foods nеed аfter tһeу are opened, іn order tо stay "fresh" indefinitely іn tһе original bag, оr whatеѵer container you uѕe for storage, оr when thеy get left оut аlӏ day sо yоur dog can self-feed. Dry foods start оut cooked аnd tһеn аre subjected to а high level of heat, wһiсһ destroys nutrients...canned foods аrе canned fresh аnd therefore, retain mоre nutrients (although tһeу'rе reаlӏy nоt completely balanced).

Fresh food iѕ "always" tһе bеst choice, еіthеr fed raw or cooked...next wоuld bе frozen or dehydrated and tһеn freeze dried foods, aӏl аѵаіlabӏе аt bеtter pet stores.

9. Reality: Do yоu knоw thаt some of tһe ingredients used to make commercial dog food аnd cеrtаіn common, everyday foods cаn be toxic tо dogs, еvеn kill them! Cooked bones and rawhide chews саn саuѕе major internal issues tһаt require surgery. Wheat-based treats can induce allergies. Onions, grapes, raisins, chocolate, Xylitol (the artificial sweetener) and оtһеr foods can be hazardous and sһоuld nеѵеr bе givеn to dogs.

To learn mоre аbout wһаt'ѕ realӏу in commercial dog food аnd tһe otһer items tһаt аrе toxic tо dogs, соme back oftеn аnd read оur future articles wһеrе we'll give you detailed information.

10. Reality: Do yоu knоw tһat corn cаn kill dogs? Most dry dog food іs loaded wіth tһіs cheap filler аnd it'ѕ not thе ѕаmе corn wе eat...it's the cheap remnants tһat'ѕ fed tо cattle...even corn meal dust, swept uр from tһе mill floor, is allowed to bе used іn dog food! Also, if tһiѕ corn һаd beеn found unfit fоr human consumption due tо pesticide content, then thеre's actuaӏly nо limit fоr pesticide contamination іn pet foods. Additionally, corn iѕ verу high іn calories аnd therefore, very fattening...so, іѕ it аnу wonder manу dogs arе overweight аnd suffer frоm diabetes.

So, now yоu know some of tһe awful realities аbout commercial dog food. Once yоu decide tо improve yоur dog's diet and stop feeding that "junk" food, yоu cаn greatly improve hіs оr һer health аnd longevity...plus, you'ӏl save уоurѕeӏf а lot of money!

All іt takes іs а ӏittlе bit оf knowledge аnd the desire tо provide yоur dog wіtһ tһe vitality and long life it ѕо richly deserves. We'll dо our bеst tо supply tһe knowledge...you just nееd to supply thе desire.

Never give your dog this vegetable...

2010-09-21T10:03:00.001-04:00

NEVER, EVER give your dog onions because it contains a chemical which causes dog blood cells to swell and burst!

Too much & becomes anemic... more and its deadly.
Yes the harmless onion it not so harmless to dogs.

In Dog Food SECRETS you'll find a list of about 20 foods we love that are harmful to your dog, a list we should all know because there are plenty more deadly than the onion...

Introducing the Family Dog to the New Baby

2010-08-15T12:02:00.000-04:00

After welcoming a baby in to the world you are probably concerned about how your dog is going to react to him or her. Many people surrender their pets to shelters because of exhibited jealousy from their dog after a new baby’s arrival and fear of the infant being harmed by the animal. Yet many families have been successful in introducing their dogs to the new baby.

Introducing your dog to you baby is a process that needs time and the utmost of care to ensure a happy and safe welcoming process! The steps to ensuring your dog acts appropriately around the baby when he or she is finally taken back to your home are twofold usually – preparing your dog for the infants arrival and introducing your dog to your infant. Preparing your dog: Preparing your dog for the baby’s arrival in advance is one of the best ways to help avoid friction and jealousy between your baby and your dog. Your dog is used to your attention and pampering, some jealousy will naturally surface when your new baby becomes the center of attention. Taking some precautions, a few minutes of quality time and some extra treats can go a long way!

Be sure to: • Take your dog to your local Veterinarian for a complete checkup a few months before the baby arrives. • Worms and parasites can be harmful to your baby so be sure to worm your dog before the baby arrives and at the normal intervals to keep on top of this problem. If your dog is not spayed or neutered, this is also the time to get it done. • Encourage friends with infants to visit your home to accustom your pet to babies. Supervise all pet and infant interactions. • Allow your dog to explore the baby’s sleeping, diaper changing areas, and related items such as baby powder, lotions, and diapers to become familiar with the new smells and objects. Apply baby lotion or powder to your hands, for example, and allow your dog to sniff the new smell. Dogs rely on their sense of smell, so familiarity with the new baby smells will help him or her recognize the baby as a part of the family. If possible, allow your dog to smell clothing that your baby has used before you bring the baby home. • Accustom your pet to baby-related noises months before the baby is expected. For example, play recordings of a baby crying (there are CDs out now for this exact training purpose – (see www.soundtherapy4pets.com/ for CDs with baby noises), turn on the mechanical infant swing, and use the rocking chair. Make these positive experiences for your pet by offering a treat or playtime. • Do not allow your dog to sleep on the baby’s furniture or play with the baby’s toys. Your dog should know that the furniture is not for him or her and should treat it as such. Provide toys for the dog that do not resemble baby toys. A dog may take the toy from the baby’s hand and unintentionally injure the infant. • If the baby's room will be off-limits to your pet, install a sturdy barrier such as a removable gate (available at pet or baby supply stores) or, for jumpers, even a screen door. Because these barriers still allow your dog to see and hear what's happening in the room, your dog will feel less isolated from the family and more comfortable with the new baby noises. • Use a baby doll to help your pet get used to the real thing. Carry around a swaddled baby doll, take the doll in the stroller when you walk your dog, and use the doll to get your pet used to routine baby activities, such as bathing and diaper changing. • Finally and very importantly, be sure that your dog knows that you and your family are alpha over him or her – this is crucial to ensure you can reprimand your dog should any jealous signs show when the baby is brought home. Introducing your dog to your infant: The actual introduction of your dog to your newborn baby is of utmost importance and the first few meetings can often dictate how your dog responds to your baby in an ongoing basis. For this reason, it is crucial to undertake the introduction process slowly and properly. Tips for the first meeting include: • When the baby comes home, another person should hold the baby while you greet your dog. Your dog has missed you and it is important to pay attention to him or her when you first get home. • Greet your dog happily and bring him or her a new toy as a gift to associate the baby with something positive. After your dog’s excitement about your homecoming has dissipated you should start introducing your baby to the dog. • If you are unsure of you dog’s behavior, leash or restrain him or her during the introduction. Talk to your dog, pet and encourage him or her to get a good look and sniff the baby’s hands and feet. Do not force a reluctant dog by pushing the infant in front of the pet. Allow the pet to explore the new smells at their own pace. Never leave your baby unsupervised with your pet.

An infant is incapable of pushing the animal away and your dog may inadvertently smother the child. The actions of a baby may scare your dog and cause it to bite in self-defense. If your dog reacts aggressively, put him or her in another room until it is calm and try the introduction again. • After the initial greeting, you can bring your pet with you to sit next to the baby; reward your pet with treats for appropriate behavior. Remember, you want your pet to view associating with the baby as a positive experience. Again, to prevent anxiety or injury, never force your pet to get near the baby, and always supervise any interaction. • Life will no doubt be hectic caring for your new baby, but try to maintain regular routines as much as possible to help your pet adjust. And be sure to spend one-on-one quality time with your pet each day—it may help relax you, too. With proper training, supervision, and adjustments, you, your new baby, and your pet should be able to live together safely and happily as one (now larger) family.

How to Wash Your Dog

2010-08-04T10:43:00.000-04:00

Even if you’ve got the most easy-care dog in the world, she’ll still need some attention to be paid to her appearance every once in a while – so it’s worth spending a bit of time learning the best techniques for easy, stress-free grooming.

WHY SHOULD I BOTHER GROOMING MY DOG?

Not so long ago, the average American’s approach to canine grooming was somewhat cavalier. Dogs were seen as something that lived in the yard (usually in a dusty, hard-floored kennel), ate whatever was put in their bowls, and existed as a sometime-playmate for the household’s children.

Today, we tend to care for our dogs a lot more, and view them more as members of the household than the Thing in the Yard.

Ever since this rise in the estimation of our beloved pooches became widespread, grooming has been increasingly recognized as an important facet of your dog’s regular health-care. It ensures that any skin-care problems are minimized (because grooming distributes the natural skin-oils evenly throughout the coat), and assists you in monitoring your dog’s overall condition – if you groom on a regular basis, you can’t help but notice the presence of any unusual lumps or bumps.

This preventative action has saved many a canine life. Our dogs can’t tell us where it hurts, but taking just a little bit of time every so often to check them over ourselves can save a lot of grief in the long run.

The trick is getting your dog to tolerate (and even enjoy!) the process …

THE FIRST STEP IN THE GROOMING PROCESS

Something that many owners lack experience in is how to wash their dogs. Dry-grooming (brushing and ‘buffing’ the coat) seems to present little problem for most people; the rot tends to set in when water is introduced to the mix.

Most dogs have a strong dislike of being bathed, and in many cases will become utterly panic-stricken when the tub comes out.

This article is going to deal with the basics of how to wash your dog in a way that’ll keep both of you relaxed and happy.

PREPARING YOUR DOG FOR GROOMING

First of all, the absolute most important thing you can do is to accustom your dog to the grooming process. Now, starting this in puppyhood is the ideal way to handle the situation, but of course not all of us have this luxury; if you’ve got an adult dog, you’ll probably need to move a little slower, but you should still start getting her used to being touched and handled all over as soon as you can.

As your puppy or dog gets used to the sensation of being rubbed and handled, she’ll slowly come to enjoy it. Dogs are social creatures by instinct, and physical affection and contact is a big part of their lives – it shouldn’t take long before she begins to trust you, and allows herself to get some pleasure out of your touch.

All you have to do is start rubbing her slowly all over. Fondle her ears, touch her cheeks and neck, rub her back and belly, pick up her paws and – if she’ll let you – give each one a gentle squeeze (treating and praising her whenever she lets you do this, since paw touching is generally a pretty big deal for most dogs). If she has a tail, rub it between your fingers; get her to roll over on her back so you can rub and stroke her belly and hocks.

This might not seem like such a big deal, but it’s actually a really important part of the grooming process: the more your dog enjoys it, the less stressful the whole event will be for both of you, and so the more often you’re likely to groom her – which increases the health benefits for her.

HOW TO WASH YOUR DOG

Bathing always comes before dry-grooming, since it makes brushing and trimming a lot easier as well as a lot more effective (there’s not much point in brushing a tangled, dirty coat!)

You will need some basic tools: a tub, a non-slip mat, a plastic jug, some warm water, a small sponge, and some canine shampoo (not human shampoo: the pH is all wrong for dogs, and will give her dry and flaky skin.)

Stand her in the tub, on the non-slip mat. If she’s a large or unruly dog, you may want to wash her outside to minimize mess – either that, or you can restrain her by tying one end of a light nylon leash to her collar, and the other end to the faucet.

Pour jugs of warm water all over her until she’s good and wet. This breaks down the grease in her fur, and ensures a thorough shampooing.

Mix a little shampoo with another jug of warm water, and rub it thoroughly into your dog’s fur. Start off with her back and rub it into a good lather (but don’t be too harsh!)

Now you can move on to her head and face. Be very careful here – dogs’ eyes are sensitive too, and if you get any water in her ears, she’ll probably get an ear infection. (You can plug her ears with a small twist of cotton wool to help stop this from happening, if you like.)

Remember to clean under her tail before you wash her off – dip the sponge into the shampoo mixture to do this properly.

Now it’s time to rinse: using the jug and some clean, warm, shampoo-free water, carefully tip it all over her and use your fingers to help disperse the lather from her coat. Rinse her off thoroughly at least twice, since any residue that remains will irritate her skin.

Now you’ll need to dry her off: if she’s got short fur, you can use a towel (an old one will do just fine, although big dogs generally need two); for dogs with longer fur, give her a gentle toweling-off first, and then use a hair dryer to get rid of the last dampness. Be certain that it’s set on low heat, and hold it far away from your dog’s fur to prevent burning either the skin or the fur.

KEEP YOURSELF CALM

Remember that most dogs have an inherent dislike of being bathed, which can cause anxiety and even outright panic.

Your dog takes a lot of her emotional cues from you, so make sure you act like a good role model for the occasion. Reassure your dog frequently, keeping your voice well-modulated, low, and even; keep your movements slow and deliberate; praise her lavishly for good behavior, and give her a couple of treats throughout the process to make it more enjoyable for her.

The more she enjoys the process, the easier it’ll be for you!

Paper Dog Training Versus Crate Training

2010-07-19T08:23:00.000-04:00

Paper Dog Training Versus Crate Training

By Mike Chastain

You may have just introduced a brand new dog to the family members, a adorable affectionate dog that as of right now understands absolutely no big difference between going on the lawn and soiling your floor covering, you now have to understand ideas for potty training dogs. You will find there are two methods to carry out potty training dogs, the first is dog paper training, the second will be crate training.

Each method is equally as successful and each making use of their own plus's and minus's.

Dog paper training is normally regarded as the simpler of these two methods. This requires designating a particular location in your own home as an area that you teach your canine for a washroom. This is often times a region in the kitchen or perhaps the laundry room. You very often barricade your dog in this region and reward them once they make use of the area covered in paper to relieve themselves. With time you may reduce in size this area. Dog Crate training can be a more challenging and intensive method but provides the additional convenience of getting them to relieve themselves outdoors. With this method your canine is never left without supervision outside their crate. You make sure your dog is let out before going into the crate as well as just after being let out of the crate. The crate technique calls for one to be home at first to guarantee the dog is never left to long with no breaks. The paper method is not usually suggested for bigger dogs since the messes they create are proportional to their size, even the most absorbent paper is not going to capture everything.

As you can tell, both options for housebreaking dogs are good techniques. You have to choose which technique fits your home, your family and your lifestyle the best.

Michael has been writing articles on a wide variety of subjects but is an avid dog lover. Come visit his latest site at http://puppytrainingguru.com You will find information for dog paper training here.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mike_Chastain

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Labrador Retrievers - The Ultimate Family Dog

2010-07-14T19:48:00.002-04:00

Should you be lucky enough to get to invest some time in the company of a Labrador Retriever you are going to quickly find out exactly why these adorable dogs are proving to be so well received. These dogs are pleasant, lively, wise and faithful. Labrador Retrievers truly love children and for this reason families rate them as among the best breed of dogs around.

Labrador Retrievers - The Ultimate Family Dog

By Mike Chastain

A Lab is really a entertaining breed, they like the water either swimming in it or merely splashing around having a fun time. One more reason that Labs are certainly is a great option for families is always that they are a dog that will just go on for hours, similar to children! They will keep the children amused the whole day in addition to wearing them out. Labradors have unequaled energy. A few have even run until they have given themselves a heart attack. They just have no idea when they have given their all.

There are many breed of dogs which make brilliant family dogs but none of them which are quite of the same quality at filling the vacancy versus the Labrador Retriever. These specific dogs don't merely fill the gap in the family they become companions and friends. Any details on Labs will inform potential owners just how mellow these dogs truly are, in case you are considering a watchdog then a Labrador Retriever is typically not a fantastic first choice. Intruders would likely be covered in licks! They actually possess a serious deep bark although and stand relatively tall and when the intruder will pay no attention to their extremely waggly tail then they could possibly be concerned with a Labrador Retriever.

Labrador Retriever training is simple because of its intelligence. They're a dog breed that simply likes to please its owner to make them pleased and happy with them. In comparison with other dog breeds Labrador Retrievers tend not to shed as much fur as others, this can always be an additional benefit.

They are susceptible to several disorders which are related to an excessive amount of weight, just like most breed of dogs. Therefore, it is imperative to observe their diet especially the quantity of treats consumed. Also, they are vulnerable to hip looseness, an ailment that triggers the joints to deteriorate. It is rather painful for them and frequently fatal. You should have your dog tested for hip issues prior to taking them home from your breeder.This breed of dog is a perfect addition as a family dog because of its incredible nature and temperament.

Michael has been writing articles on a wide variety of subjects, but his specialty is dogs. Come visit his latest site at http://puppytrainingguru.com You will find information for Labrador retriever training there.

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Barking dogs, Understanding it and dealing with it

2010-07-13T16:10:00.000-04:00

Some owners seem to want their dogs to stop barking, period: a good dog is a quiet dog, and the only time that barking’s permitted is when there’s a man in a black balaclava and stripy prison outfit, clutching a haversack marked ‘Swag’, clambering in through your bedroom window. Dogs don’t see barking in quite the same light. Your dog has a voice, just like you do, and she uses it just how you do too: to communicate something to the people she cares about. I don’t think that barking is necessarily a bad thing – in fact, I think it’s encouraging that my dog wants to “talk” to me, enough so that I can overlook the stentorian qualities of his voice (which, in enclosed spaces, is positively overpowering) in favor of his desire to communicate with me. It’s the thought that counts (even though I feel better-equipped to stand by this sanctimonious belief when my ears are sheltered safely behind industrial-quality ear-plugs).

Unfortunately, the language barrier between dogs and humans is pretty well impermeable, which means it’s up to us to use the context, the body language of our dogs, and the circumstances of the vocalization to parse meaning from a volley of barks. So why do dogs bark? It’s not easy to say (it’s like trying to answer the question, “Why do humans talk?” in so many words). Let’s start off by saying that dogs bark for many different reasons. A lot of it depends on the breed: some dogs were bred to bark only when a threat is perceived (this is true of guarding breeds in particular, like Rottweilers, Dobermans, and German Shepherds); some were bred to use their voices as a tool of sorts, to assist their owners in pursuit of a common goal (sporting breeds such as Beagles and Bloodhounds, trained to ‘bay’ when they scent the quarry), and some dogs just like to hear themselves talk (take just about any of the toy breeds as an example of a readily-articulate dog!). However, all breed specificities cast aside, there are some circumstances where just about any dog will give voice: * She’s bored * She’s lonely * She’s hungry, or knows it’s time for a meal * Something is wrong/someone is near the house * She’s inviting you to play * She sees another animal * She needs the toilet If your dog is barking for any of these reasons, it’s not really realistic for you to try to stop her: after all, she’s a dog, and it’s the nature of all dogs to bark at certain times and in certain situations.

Presumably you were aware of this when you adopted your friend (and, if total silence was high on your list of priorities, you’d have bought a pet rock, right?). Of course, there are times when barking isn’t only unwarranted, it’s downright undesirable. Some dogs can use their voices as a means of manipulation. Take this situation as an example: You’re lying on the couch reading a book. Your dog awakes from a nap and decides it’s time for a game. She picks up her ball, comes over, and drops it in your lap. You ignore her and keep on reading. After a second of puzzled silence, she nudges your hand with her nose and barks once, loudly. You look over at her – she assumes the ‘play-bow’ position (elbows near the floor, bottom in the air, tail waving) and pants enticingly at you. You return to your book. She barks again, loudly – and, when no response is elicited, barks again. And this time, she keeps it up. After a minute or so of this, sighing, you put down your book (peace and quiet is evidently not going to be a component of your evening, after all), pick up the ball, and take her outside for a game of fetch. She stops barking immediately.

I’m sure you know that respect is an essential part of your relationship with your dog. You respect her, which you demonstrate by taking good care of her regardless of the convenience of doing so, feeding her nutritious and tasty food, and showing your affection for her in ways that she understands and enjoys. In order for her to be worthy of your respect, she has to respect you, too. Something that many kind-hearted souls struggle to come to terms with is that dog ownership is not about equality: it’s about you being the boss, and her being the pet. Dogs are not children; they are most comfortable and best-behaved when they know that you are in charge. A dog has to respect your leadership to be a happy, well-adjusted, and well-behaved pet. In the situation above, there was no respect being shown by the dog. She wasn’t inviting her owner to play; she was harassing her owner to play. In fact, I’d even say bullying. And even worse, the behavior was being reinforced by the owner’s capitulation – effectively, giving in to this behavior taught her that to get what she wants, she has to make a noise – and she has to keep it up until her goal is achieved.

Affection and play-times are obviously necessary aspects of life with a dog, but they have to be doled out on your own terms. If she learns that she can get what she wants by barking, then your house is going to become a Noise Pollution Zone (and this is not going to endear you to your neighbors, either). To prevent this bullying behavior in your dog from assuming a familiar role in her repertoire of communications, you have to prove to her that you’re not the kind of person that can be manipulated so easily. It’s simple to do this: all you have to do is ignore her. I’m not talking about passive ignorance, where you pay her no attention and simply continue with whatever it was you were doing – you need to take more of an active role. This means conveying to her through your body language that she is not worthy of your attention when she acts in such an undesirable manner. The absolute best and most effective thing for you to do in this case is to give her the cold shoulder. When she starts trying to ‘bark you’ into doing something for her, turn your back on her straight away. Get up, avert your eyes and face, and turn around so your back is towards her. Don’t look at her, and don’t talk to her – not even a “no”. She’ll probably be confused by this, and will likely bark harder.

This is particularly true if you’ve given in to her bully-barking in the past – the more times you’ve reinforced the behavior, the more persistent she’s going to be. In fact, the barking will almost certainly get a lot worse before it gets better – after all, it’s worked for her the past, so it’s understandable that she’ll expect it to work again. As in all aspects of dog training, consistency is very important. You must ensure that you don’t change your mind halfway through and give in to what she wants – because by doing so, you’re teaching her to be really, really persistent (“OK, so I just need to bark for ten minutes instead of five to get a walk,” is the message she’ll get). But what can you do in other situations where bullying isn’t an issue and you just want her to stop the racket? If you want to get the message across that you’d like her to cease fire and be quiet, the most effective thing you can do is to use your hands. No, I’m not talking about hitting her: this is a perfectly humane, impact- and pain-free method of conveying that what you require right now is peace and quiet. Here’s what you do: when she’s barking, give her a second to ‘get it out of her system’ (it’s a lot kinder, and a lot more effective, to give her a chance - however brief – to express herself before asking her to be quiet). If she doesn’t calm down under her own steam, reach out and clasp her muzzle gently, but firmly, in your hand. She’ll try to shake you off, or back away, so you can place your other hand on her collar to give you greater control. This method is useful for two reasons: firstly, it effectively silences the barking (since no dog, no matter how loud, can bark with her mouth shut!). Secondly, it reinforces your authority: you’re showing her through direct physical action that you’re a benevolent but firm leader who will brook no nonsense, and who won’t balk when it comes to enforcing your guidance. Hold onto her muzzle and collar until she’s stopped trying to break free: only when she calms down and stops wriggling does it mean that she’s accepted your authority. When she’s still, hold on for one or two more seconds, then let her go and praise her.

In addition to this short-term fix, there are also a few things you can to do to reduce your dog’s need to bark in the first place. The number-one cause for unwanted barking (as in, the kind of barking that’s repetitive and is directed at nothing) is nervous, agitated energy – the kind she gets from not getting enough exercise. Most dogs function best with one and a half hours’ exercise every day, which is a considerable time commitment for you. Of course, this varies from dog to dog, depending on factors like breed, age, and general level of health. You may think that your dog is getting as much exercise as she needs, or at least as much as you can possibly afford to give her – but if her barking is coupled with an agitated demeanor (fidgeting, perhaps acting more aggressively than you’d expect or want, restlessness, destructive behavior) then she almost definitely needs more. Fortunately, the fix for this problem is pretty simple: you’ll just have to exercise her more. Try getting up a half-hour earlier in the morning – it’ll make a big difference. If this is absolutely impossible, consider hiring someone to walk her in the mornings and/or evenings. And if this is impossible too, then you’ll just have to resign yourself to having a loud, frustrated, and agitated dog (although whether you can resign her to this state remains to be seen). The second most common cause of excessive vocalization in dogs is too much ‘alone time’. Dogs are social animals: they need lots of attention, lots of interaction, and lots of communication. Without these things, they become anxious and on edge. If you’re at home with your dog, you’re not paying attention to her, and she’s spending a lot of time barking at what appears to be nothing, she’s probably bored and lonely and would benefit from a healthy dose of affection and attention.

Recognizing, preventing, and handling dog aggression

2010-07-12T20:14:00.000-04:00

A dog is an instinctively aggressive creature. In the wild, aggression came in very handy: dogs needed aggression to hunt, to defend themselves from other creatures, and to defend resources such as food, a place to sleep, and a mate. Selective breeding over the centuries has minimized and refined this trait significantly, but there’s just no getting around it: dogs are physically capable of inflicting serious harm (just look at those teeth!) because that’s how they’ve survived and evolved. And Mother Nature is pretty wily – it’s hard to counteract the power of instinct! But that doesn’t mean that we, as dog lovers and owners, are entirely helpless when it comes to handling our dogs. There’s a lot that we can do to prevent aggression from rearing its ugly head in the first place – and even if prevention hasn’t been possible (for whatever reason), there are still steps that we can take to recognize and deal with it efficiently.

Different dog aggression types - There are several different types of canine aggression. The two most common ones are: - Aggression towards strangers - Aggression towards family members You may be wondering why we’re bothering categorizing this stuff: after all, aggression is aggression, and we want to turf it out NOW, not waste time with the details – right? Well … not quite. These two different types of aggression stem from very different causes, and require different types of treatment. - Aggression towards strangers - What is it? It’s pretty easy to tell when a dog’s nervy around strange people. He’s jumpy and on the alert: either he can’t sit still and is constantly fidgeting, leaping at the smallest sound, and pacing around barking and whining; or he’s veerrrry still indeed, sitting rock-steady in one place, staring hard at the object of his suspicions (a visitor, the mailman, someone approaching him on the street while he’s tied up outside a store.) Why does it happen? There’s one major reason why a dog doesn’t like strange people: he’s never had the chance to get used to them.

Remember, your dog relies 100% on you to broaden his horizons for him: without being taken on lots of outings to see the world and realize for himself, through consistent and positive experiences, that the unknown doesn’t necessarily equal bad news for him, how can he realistically be expected to relax in an unfamiliar situation? What can I do about it? The process of accustoming your dog to the world and all the strange people (and animals) that it contains is called socialization. This is an incredibly important aspect of your dog’s upbringing: in fact, it’s pretty hard to overemphasize just how important it is. Socializing your dog means exposing him from a young age (generally speaking, as soon as he’s had his vaccinations) to a wide variety of new experiences, new people, and new animals. How does socialization prevent stranger aggression? When you socialize your dog, you’re getting him to learn through experience that new sights and sounds are fun, not scary. It’s not enough to expose an adult dog to a crowd of unfamiliar people and tell him to “Settle down, Roxy, it’s OK” – he has to learn that it’s OK for himself. And he needs to do it from puppyhood for the lesson to sink in. The more types of people and animals he meets (babies, toddlers, teenagers, old people, men, women, people wearing uniforms, people wearing motorcycle helmets, people carrying umbrellas, etc) in a fun and relaxed context, the more at ease and happy – and safe around strangers - he’ll be in general. How can I socialize my dog so that he doesn’t develop a fear of strangers?

Socializing your dog is pretty easy to do – it’s more of a general effort than a specific training regimen. First of all, you should take him to puppy preschool. This is a generic term for a series of easy group-training classes for puppies (often performed at the vet clinic, which has the additional benefit of teaching your dog positive associations with the vet!). In a puppy preschool class, about ten or so puppy owners get together with a qualified trainer (often there’ll be at least two trainers present – the more there are, the better, since it means you get more one-on-one time with a professional) and start teaching their puppies the basic obedience commands: sit, stay, and so on. Even though the obedience work is very helpful and is a great way to start your puppy on the road to being a trustworthy adult dog, really the best part of puppy preschool is the play sessions: several times throughout the class, the puppies are encouraged to run around off-leash and play amongst themselves. This is an ideal environment for them to learn good social skills: there’s a whole bunch of unfamiliar dogs present (which teaches them how to interact with strange dogs), there’s a whole bunch of unfamiliar people present (which teaches them that new faces are nothing to be afraid of), and the environment is safe and controlled (there’s at least one certified trainer present to make sure that things don’t get out of hand).

Socialization doesn’t just stop with puppy preschool, though. It’s an ongoing effort throughout the life of your puppy and dog: he needs to be taken to a whole bunch of new places and environments. Remember not to overwhelm him: start off slow, and build up his tolerance gradually. - Aggression towards family members - There are two common reasons why a dog is aggressive towards members of his own human family: - He’s trying to defend something he thinks of as his from a perceived threat (you). This is known as resource guarding, and though it may sound innocuous, there’s actually a lot more going on here than your dog simply trying to keep his kibble to himself. - He’s not comfortable with the treatment/handling he’s getting from you or other members of the family. What’s resource guarding? Resource guarding is pretty common among dogs. The term refers to overly-possessive behavior on behalf of your dog: for instance, snarling at you if you approach him when he’s eating, or giving you “the eye” (a flinty-eyed, direct stare) if you reach your hand out to take a toy away from him. All dogs can be possessive from time to time – it’s in their natures. Sometimes they’re possessive over things with no conceivable value: inedible trash, balled up pieces of paper or tissue, old socks.

More frequently, however, resource-guarding becomes an issue over items with a very real and understandable value: food and toys. Why does it happen? It all boils down to the issue of dominance. Let me take a moment to explain this concept: dogs are pack animals. This means that they’re used to a very structured environment: in a dog-pack, each individual animal is ranked in a hierarchy of position and power (or “dominance”) in relation to every other animal. Each animal is aware of the rank of every other animal, which means he knows specifically how to act in any given situation (whether to back down, whether to push the issue, whether to muscle in or not on somebody else’s turf, etc etc). To your dog, the family environment is no different to the dog-pack environment. Your dog has ranked each member of the family, and has his own perception of where he ranks in that environment as well. This is where it gets interesting: if your dog perceives himself as higher up on the social totem-pole than other family members, he’s going to get cheeky. If he’s really got an overinflated sense of his own importance, he’ll start to act aggressively. Why? Because dominance and aggression are the exclusive rights of a superior-ranked animal. No underdog would ever show aggression or act dominantly to a higher-ranked animal (the consequences would be dire, and he knows it!) Resource guarding is a classic example of dominant behavior: only a higher-ranked dog (a “dominant” dog) would act aggressively in defence of resources. To put it plainly: if it was clear to your dog that he is not, in fact, the leader of the family, he’d never even dream of trying to prevent you from taking his food or toys – because a lower-ranking dog (him) will always go along with what the higher-ranking dogs (you and your family) say. So what can I do about it? The best treatment for dominant, aggressive behavior is consistent, frequent obedience work, which will underline your authority over your dog. Just two fifteen-minute sessions a day will make it perfectly clear to your dog that you’re the boss, and that it pays to do what you say. You can make this fact clear to him by rewarding him (with treats and lavish praise) for obeying a command, and isolating him (putting him in “time-out”, either outside the house or in a room by himself) for misbehaviour. - If you’re not entirely confident doing this yourself, you may wish to consider enlisting the assistance of a qualified dog-trainer. - Brush up on your understanding of canine psychology and communication, so that you understand what he’s trying to say – this will help you to nip any dominant behaviors in the bud, and to communicate your own authority more effectively - Train regularly: keep obedience sessions short and productive (no more than fifteen minutes – maybe two or three of these per day). Why doesn’t my dog like to be handled? All dogs have different handling thresholds. Some dogs like lots of cuddles, and are perfectly content to be hugged, kissed, and have arms slung over their shoulders (this is the ultimate “I’m the boss” gesture to a dog, which is why a lot of them won’t tolerate it.) Others – usually the ones not accustomed to a great deal of physical contact from a very young age – aren’t comfortable with too much full-body contact and will get nervy and agitated if someone persists in trying to hug them. Another common cause of handling-induced aggression is a bad grooming experience: nail-clipping and bathing are the two common culprits. When you clip a dog’s nails, it’s very easy to “quick” him – that is, cut the blood vessel that runs inside the nail. This is extremely painful to a dog, and is a sure-fire way to cause a long-lasting aversion to those clippers. Being washed is something that a great many dogs have difficulty dealing with – a lot of owners, when confronted with a wild-eyed, half-washed, upset dog, feel that in order to complete the wash they have to forcibly restrain him. This only adds to the dog’s sense of panic, and reinforces his impression of a wash as something to be avoided at all costs – if necessary, to defend himself from it with a display of teeth and hackles. Can I “retrain” him to enjoy being handled and groomed? In a word: yes. It’s a lot easier if you start from a young age – handle your puppy a lot, get him used to being touched and rubbed all over. Young dogs generally enjoy being handled – it’s only older ones who haven’t had a lot of physical contact throughout their lives that sometimes find physical affection difficult to accept. Practice picking up his paws and touching them with the clipper; practice taking him into the bath (or outside, under the faucet – whatever works for you, but warm water is much more pleasant for a dog than a freezing spray of ice-water!), and augment the process throughout with lots of praise and the occasional small treat. For an older dog that may already have had several unpleasant handling/grooming experiences, things are a little more difficult.

You need to undo the damage already caused by those bad experiences, which you can do by taking things very slowly – with an emphasis on keeping your dog calm. The instant he starts to show signs of stress, stop immediately and let him relax. Try to make the whole thing into a game: give him lots of praise, pats, and treats. Take things slowly. Don’t push it too far: if you get nervous, stop. Dogs show aggression for a reason: they’re warning you to back off, or else! If your dog just can’t seem to accept being groomed, no matter how much practice you put in, it’s best to hand the job over to the professionals. Your vet will clip his nails for you (make sure you tell him first that he gets aggressive when the clippers come out, so your vet can take the necessary precautions!). As far as washing and brushing goes, the dog-grooming business is a flourishing industry: for a small fee, you can get your dog washed, clipped, brushed, and whatever else you require by experienced professionals (again, make sure you tell them about your dog’s reaction to the experience first!)

Dog Leash Training Problems

2010-07-11T16:50:00.000-04:00

Exercise is a major part of our dogs’ lives. Cesar Millan, the “Dog Whisperer”, tells us that to maintain a healthy relationship with our beloved pooches, that relationship should consist of 50% physical exercise, 25% discipline, and 25% affection. That’s a lot of exercise! In order for us to be able to enjoy exercising our dogs as much as they need, it’s important for them to behave well both on the lead. Unfortunately, there are many dogs out there who are afraid of the leash itself – resulting in neurotic, fearful, submissive behavior whenever the lead comes out. In this newsletter, we’ll take a look at the most effective way to deal with fear of the leash. Fear of the Leash The majority of the time, the sight of the leash is enough to bring on a fit of joy – the dog knows that leash = walk, and reacts accordingly.

For some dogs, though, the leash connotes fear and submissiveness more than anything else. Perhaps the leash was used in a negative way with a previous owner – as a tool for dragging the dog around. Perhaps it was used to confine the dog for long hours at a time. In some extreme cases, dogs have even been whipped with the leash as punishment. Or perhaps your dog is just very highly strung, and is prone to developing phobias seemingly arbitrarily. Although fear of the leash can have a severely negative impact on your walks with your dog, the good news is that it’s easy to cure. You just need some patience and some basic equipment. What you’ll need - A leash, made of webbing or leather. Approximately 5 feet (1.25 meters) is a good length, as it enables control without risk of the dog getting tangled in the leash when out walking. Chain-link leashes aren’t recommended, as they’re hard on the hands – and also can flick the dog in the face, which isn’t something you’d want to inflict on any dog, let alone one that’s suffering from fear of the leash! - A good-quality collar, again made of leather or nylon webbing. If you’re using one with a snap-lock, make sure it’s safety-approved and won’t come undone under pressure. Slip-chain collars (also known as ‘choke-chains’ or ‘check-chains’) should never be used on an unattended dog, as they’re a training tool, not a real collar. - A little bit of time, and a little bit of patience. What to Do - Your aim here is to accustom your dog to the lead a little bit at a time, keeping him well within his comfort zone at each step of the way. Because he’s already got a fear of the leash, some discomfort in its presence is to be expected, but watch out for signs of extreme fear: hyperventilating, drooling, submissive urination, rolling eyes (often showing the whites). So step one: remember to take baby steps at all times! - If he’s really afraid of the leash, you’ll need to accustom him to it very slowly indeed. Practice leaving it out in full view, preferably in ‘fun’ places: next to his food bowl, in preferred play areas, near his bed. - Once he’s stopped reacting to the sight of it, introduce the leash to him in a more active manner. You can do this by wrapping it around your hand as you pet and groom him. Hold the leash in your hand as you prepare his food; sit by him and stroke him, with the leash wrapped around your hand, as he eats. Keep this up until he’s stopped showing any signs of discomfort – it may take some time, but remember that you’re aiming to accustom him comfortably to the leash. Any rushing is counterproductive. - When he’s not showing any signs of nervousness with this level of progress, you can start attaching the leash to his collar. Put him in a sit-stay, using a firm, calm voice, and clip the leash on. Don’t make a big deal out of it: your dog will take his emotional and psychological cues from your behavior. If you act as though it’s not a big deal, he’ll follow your lead. - Once the leash is on, give him some time to get used to the sensation of something hanging off his neck. He may get a little panicky at this stage, and start pawing at his neck and trying to rub the leash off along the ground. If he’s showing signs of nervousness, distract him with a game: a short game of tug-o’-war (providing he knows to drop the toy when you’ve had enough) is a good idea; if he can run without getting tangled in the leash, play a short game of fetch; or, if the two of you are outside in a safely enclosed area, you can go for a short walk. Don’t attempt to touch the leash at this stage, just let him walk around freely. - Take the leash off after five minutes or so, and praise him lavishly for being such a good boy. Give him a couple of small, tasty treats, and lots of petting. - Repeat these last three steps several more times before progressing to the next level: you want to give him plenty of opportunities to get used to the sensation of the leash itself before you start using it to control his walking. The more positive associations he forms with the leash (which he will do through the games, walks, and treats while wearing it), the better for his progress. - Next, it’s time for a short obedience-training session while he’s wearing the leash. Five minutes is plenty: practice a sit-stay and the recall command (“come”) while he’s wearing the leash. This will reinforce your authority and leadership, and remind him that he’s still expected to obey you while wearing the leash. - When he’s readily obeying your commands with the leash on, you can take him for a short walk while he’s wearing it. If he’s jumpy, do not reinforce his nervousness by rewarding him with attention. Simply ignore him and carry on walking. Remember, he takes his cues from you, so keep calm and wait for it to pass. - If, at any point, you feel that he’s simply too nervous to proceed (for example, if he’s still panicking after three or four minutes of walking on the leash), go back to the level at which he was last 100% comfortable. Wait a few days at this stage before attempting to proceed. Things to Remember - Remember to be patient! Don’t attempt to rush your dog’s progress: using force is counterproductive to your end goal. You’re teaching him to relax and be calm around the leash – if you get stressed or frustrated with his lack of progress, he’ll be able to tell, and his anxiety levels will increase, not decrease. - Remember not to indulge his nervousness or coddle him if he plays up or gets nervous. If you react to his crying and trembling with petting and cooing, you are telling him that it’s OK to feel like that. If he’s nervous, either ignore it and carry on, or distract him with a game or short walk. If he’s still panic-stricken after three or four minutes, revert to the previous step and give it more time. - This should go without saying, but never correct or punish him for skittishness or nervous behavior – again, it’s counterproductive in the extreme.

House training tips for a new puppy

2010-07-08T11:57:00.000-04:00

When a new puppy arrives in the house, it’s an exciting time for everyone. In order for the homecoming to proceed as smoothly as possible, it’s a good idea to spend a little bit of time in preparation.

One of the major challenges of dog ownership (particularly for first-time owners) is the issue of house training. If you equip yourself with some rudimentary knowledge and a positive attitude, though, it’s a lot easier than most people make it out to be.

The New Arrival

As soon as you bring the puppy home, take her outside. The excitement of the car journey coupled with the unfamiliar faces, sights, and sounds will have her needing to go anyway – and if you can orchestrate her first toilet break so that it occurs outside, instead of inside, then so much the better. And not just from the perspective of short-term hygiene, either – the more your puppy relieves herself inside, the more likely she is to do it again.

The homecoming is a great opportunity for you to set a precedent for toilet behavior!

- Take her to your designated toilet area, and put her down on the grass.

- Wait while she sniffs around – refrain from petting her or playing with her just yet, because you don’t want her to forge an association between this area and games. She has to learn that this part of the yard is for toilet breaks only.

- When she begins to relieve herself, say the phrase you want her to associate with toilet breaks: “Go pee” or “potty time” or whatever works for you. It’s best if that phrase is short and easily recognizable – and use the same voice inflection each time, too (so that your dog can easily memorize the meaning of the phrase.)

- When she’s done, make a big fuss over her: shower her in praise and affection, and give her a little treat.

When you take her inside the house, the house training regime you’ve decided upon should start immediately.

As far as puppy house training goes, puppy crate training is generally accepted to be the most effective and efficient means of house training a puppy in a short space of time.

What is crate training?

Crate-training is essentially the use of a small indoor kennel (the crate) to confine your young puppy when you’re not actively supervising her.

How does it work?

Crate training is based on all dogs’ inherent dislike of soiling the area where they sleep. Because you’re restricting your puppy’s movement to her sleeping space, she’ll instinctively “hold it in” until she’s let out of the crate (provided you don’t leave her in there too long, of course!)

This is why it’s important that the crate is sized properly: if it’s too big, she’ll be able to use one end as a bed and one end as a toilet, which defeats the whole purpose!

How do I choose a crate?

As a general guideline, it’s more cost-effective for you to choose a crate that’s big enough for her to grow into. It should be big enough for the adult dog to stand up comfortably without crouching, turn around in, and stretch out – but no bigger (so that she doesn’t choose one part as her bed, and one part as her toilet!)

Because the adult dog is likely to be considerably larger than the puppy, it’ll most likely be necessary for you to use a barrier to reduce the internal size of the crate. A wire grille or board will do just fine.

Alternatively, you can use a cheap crate (or even make one yourself) and replace it with a larger model as your puppy grows.

Using the crate for house training

Crate training works like this: your puppy is in that crate at all times unless she’s sleeping, eating, outside with you going to the toilet, or being played with (active supervision.)

You’ll need to be consistent, or else it won’t work: you can’t let your puppy wander off through the house unless you’re focusing your complete attention on her.

If you allow her access to the house before she’s thoroughly house trained, you’re basically encouraging her to relieve herself inside – and remember, each time she does this, it’ll be easier for her to do it again (and again … and again …)

Sample schedule of a morning's crate training

7am: Wake up. Puppy comes outside with you for a toilet break.
7.25: Breakfast time.
7.45: Back outside for another toilet break (accompanied by you, of course.)
7.50 – 8.45: Play-time! Puppy is out of the crate being actively played with, cuddled, etc.
8.45: Outside for another toilet break.
8.50 – 11: Puppy goes back in the crate for a nap
11 am: Puppy comes outside with you for a toilet break.
11.05 – 12.30: Playtime! Puppy is out of the crate being played with and petted.
12:30: Lunch time.
12.45: Puppy comes outside with you for a toilet break.
1 – 3.30: Puppy goes back in the crate for a nap.

… and so on throughout the day.

Crate training generally takes one to two months (depending on the breed of your dog and how much time you spend on the training process.) As the puppy grows older, you can begin to reduce the amount of time spent in the crate – but beware of doing this too soon!

Other crate training rules

- Your puppy probably won’t be too happy to go in the crate the first couple of times she uses it. She wants to be outside, being showered with affection and attention, and hanging out with you (of course!) But it really is for her own good – in a surprisingly short time, she’ll come to accept the crate as her own personal haven where she can go to relax and get a couple hours’ uninterrupted sleep. It’s important to persevere: do not respond to any whining or crying.

- The best place for the crate to be is the hub of the household: usually the den or the kitchen, anywhere where people tend to congregate. Just because she’s in the crate doesn’t mean she can’t still feel like part of the household; it’s important for her not to feel isolated or excluded.

- The crate should be a welcoming, inviting place for her to go. Lay a couple of thick blankets or towels on the floor, and place a few toys and a chew or two inside it as well. The door should be invitingly open at all times (unless she’s in there, of course, in which case it should be securely shut.)

Some toilet facts about puppies that will come in handy

- Puppies’ bladders and bowels are so small and weak that they have only a very small window of opportunity between knowing that they need to go, and having that need become an immediate reality. Because of this, it’s imperative that you take her outside as soon as she wakes up (she’ll let you know she needs to go out by pawing the door and whining), and within ten minutes of eating or playing.

- Behaviors that indicate she needs to go outside include sniffing the ground and circling. Again, because she’s only little, she won’t exhibit these warning signs for very long – so as soon as she starts, take her out straight away. Better an unnecessary trip to the yard than an unnecessary wet patch (or pile) on the carpet!

- The maximum amount of time that a puppy can be crated at one time is figured out using the following equation: her age in months, plus one. So, a three-month old puppy can be crated for a maximum of four hours. However, this is likely to be physically pretty uncomfortable for her (not to mention hard on her emotionally and psychologically: it’s tough being cramped up with nothing to do), so you should really take her out at least once every two hours during the day. If she’s sleeping, of course, just let her sleep until she wakes up naturally.

Do dogs need fats??

2010-07-07T20:10:00.002-04:00

For now, let me tell you about fat... you don't want a fat dog, but your dog wants fat. Those are not conflicting statements.

The Fats Your Dog Needs..

Fats are saturated or polyunsaturated, and your dog needs both in order to form essential fatty acids (EFA's) necessary for good health.

The Functions of Fat In 's Body

Fats are vital for a healthy coat and skin, reproductive efficiency and kidney function.

They also provide energy and aid metabolic processes. But there are good fats and bad fats.

Many commercial dog foods make little distinction between them. You have to know how to read the labels, but dog food manufacturers try to keep you in the dark

The Good, The Bad & the Ugly of Proteins for your Dog

2010-07-05T20:24:00.000-04:00

3 Good Proteins:
Muscle meats

Eggs

Organ meats (such as liver) .

3 Worthless Proteins:
Wheat

Corn

Barley

What's the Point in Knowing This?

Dog food manufacturers must have at least 9% protein in their food (called the Guaranteed Analysis) or they are required to print on the label that the food is not nutritionally adequate.

So how dog food companies cut this corner? They use cheap vegetable proteins like wheat, corn and barley to meet the Guaranteed Analysis requirements AND keep their profits high by not using more expensive meat... all at the expense of 's health.
For more tips on healthy dog food and puppy training check out our other site -
http://puppytrainingguru.com

Special Summer Slurp Pups for Dogs

2010-07-01T21:41:00.001-04:00

The Joy of Treats!

When treats are a must, this one can be offered guilt-free. It is healthful and low-calorie to boot! This natural dog treat recipe is intended as a snack or treat, and is in no way to be considered nutritionally complete. It is meant for intermittent or supplemental feeding.

Also, always remember to include snacks in your daily calorie count for your dog. We want him to enjoy these, but not get fat as a result!

Ingredients
Calories*

1 quart fruit juice
500

1 banana mashed
116

1/2 c. plain yogurt
77

2 ice trays
0

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TOTAL
693

Instructions

Mix ingredients together thoroughly.

Pour into ice trays and freeze.

Serve individual cubes. People can enjoy these, too!

*Please note: This recipe includes a calorie count for your ease of use and comfort. Please consider this an approximate only. For an exact tally, it is important that you read labels and tabulate the calories yourself as prepare the recipe.

Serve and Watch That Tail Wag!

Dog Adoption Tips

2010-06-29T15:38:00.001-04:00

Most Popular Dog Breeds Determining Factors

By Mike Chastain

A list regarding the most popular dog breeds could bring about hardcore discussions over which dogs do and do not belong. Permit a listing that includes the breed of dog which bit you when you had been a child and you are very angry, or worse, allow the checklist to snub your present favorite and that does it. In order to end up being fair, a person must take into account the resource of the checklist, and exactly what the requirements had been for it. For example, the AKC kennel association displays its top one hundred dog breed listing structured on the quantity of each breed that is registered with them. They do not declare a single breed greater than others for the benefit of this checklist; they merely list how many of the breeds are accounted for.

If you research the terms "most popular dog breeds" on the internet, you will discover a huge number of listings via the various groups of dogs and the breeds within them, to the most well-known dog breeds for households with children. Filter down what precisely you are searching for and that ought to help quite a bit. Possibly you want to know what the most well-liked toy dog breeds are, or perhaps the most well-liked hunting dog breeds. Either way, you will certainly be able to pull up the correct checklist and see precisely where your preferred dog breed places.

Everybody has their favorite and least favorite dog. This does not matter how or the reason why they arrived at their findings, they just have and that is that. With regard to them, there is no persuading them that the husky is a completely great dog, if it is managed correctly, or that the Yorkie can occasionally be more trouble than they tend to be really worth. Some people will dismiss entire breeds of dogs merely based on what they understand about one representative of the club, a practice that is not reasonable. Dog breeds gain and lose recognition based on many points, such as movies that feature them, or which breed is successful at the main dog shows. But, irrespective of all of that, there are a few dog breeds that make it to the tops of almost every checklist, the devoted favorites that people group to, year after year. Those breeds include: the Labrador retriever, the Golden Retriever, the Beagle, the Yorkshire Terrier, and the Poodle.

Of course there tend to be the so-called designer dogs, the mixed breed dogs which ideally get the best of both worlds. Well-liked mixes are: the Puggle, a mix of the ever--popular Pug and the Beagle, the Labradoodle, a blend of a Lab and a Poodle and the Cockapoo, a mix of a Cocker Spaniel and a Poodle. These kinds of dogs are not registered, however nevertheless extremely popular, as evidenced through their continuously expanding numbers.

Michael is a huge dog lover and trainer. Come visit his latest site at http://www.puppytrainingguru.com

You will find information and reviews for other popular dog breeds as well as great puppy training tips here.

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Paper Training Dogs is Simple

2010-06-28T12:47:00.001-04:00

What’s paper training?

Paper training dogs is a specific form of house training for your dog: you’re teaching her where in the house is appropriate for her to eliminate (pee or poop). When you paper train your dog, you teach her to only eliminate on newspapers (chosen for their absorbency, ready availability, and cheap cost) which you gather up and throw away after each use.

What options other than paper training do I have for my dog’s house training?
There are two ways of effectively, efficiently, and rapidly house training your dog. Paper training is one; the other is something called crate training.

Crate training is based on a dog’s basic dislike of soiling where she sleeps, and involves restricting the dog’s movement (by putting her in a crate, or small indoor kennel) whenever she cannot be actively supervised.

The difference between crate training and house training?

Paper training and crate training aren’t the same thing. Crate training is where you train your dog to only go outside; paper training is where you train your dog to only go on newspapers.

You cannot train your dog to do both at the same time – the two are mutually exclusive. She’ll get confused, and you’ll only prolong the training process.

You can choose to use paper training as an intermediary step for eventually only eliminating outside (although not everyone recommends this: it’s easier on the dog, and more effective all round, to choose one method and stick with it.)

Why should I choose paper training instead of crate training?

Crate training and paper training are both effective ways to house train your dog.

In general, it’s accepted (by most dog trainers and vets) that crate training is the fastest method of house training your dog; but it requires a considerable investment of time and effort, which is not an option for everyone.

Paper training is the best option for you if:

- You don’t have easy access to a yard (for example, you live in a hi-rise apartment block)

- It’s not easy for you to take your dog outside for any other reason (for example, elderly or unwell people)

- You have a full-time job, or other time-consuming commitment which can’t be got around (meaning that you’re not able to spend the large amounts of time supervising your dog that crate training requires)

- You’re planning on training your dog to go outside the house eventually, but not just yet (for example, it’s the dead of winter with four-foot snow drifts outside)

Crate training is the best option for you if:

- You have a medium to big dog

- You are able to spend a lot of time during your puppy’s first weeks of house training in actively supervising her, and are available during the day to let her out of the crate at two- or three-hour intervals

- You want to train your dog to go outside the house right from the start

Paper training isn’t suitable for all dogs: it really only works for small males and small-to-medium females, since a dog larger than these just produces too much waste for the newspaper (and you!) to handle.

How to paper train your dog?

First, pick a convenient area of the house for your dog to use as the elimination area. Because she’s going to be peeing and pooping in this area, it’s best if you can choose somewhere without carpet: most people choose a corner of the kitchen or laundry (since these rooms usually have tiled or linoleum floors, making hygiene a non-issue.)

Spread newspaper thickly in a corner of this room. At first, you’ll need to make the newspaper area pretty big, since your pup has no idea that she’s meant to go on the paper at all.

To make sure that she’s able to eliminate only on the paper, you’ll either need to restrict her movements to the papered area of the floor (which you can do by erecting barriers to keep her in – if the room you’ve chosen is large or busy, this is probably the most user-friendly option for you), or paper the whole floor (which is a viable option if the paper-room is small and there’s not much thoroughfare.)

At first, your puppy will eliminate pretty much at random on the paper. It’s important for the paper-training process that she only gets to go on the paper – you need her to form a strong association between the feeling of paper under her toes, and relieving herself.

After a week or two, you can begin to shrink the papered area of the floor, allowing her more access to unpapered surfaces (leave the barriers where they are for now so she doesn’t get the chance to eliminate anywhere else.)

Do this gradually, a couple of sheets at a time. If you’ve given her enough time to get used to the paper, she should naturally restrict her elimination areas as the papered area shrinks.

NOTE: If at any time she begins to eliminate off the paper, then increase the size of the papered floor surface to the size it was when she was still eliminating only on the paper, and give her more time to get used to it before beginning to reduce the papered area again.

There’s no need to panic: this doesn’t mean that the paper training isn’t working, it just means you’re moving a bit too fast for your puppy’s capabilities.

Most dogs take a couple of months (eight to twelve weeks) to get used to the paper training method. Until she’s reliably going on the papers only, you should restrict her access to the rest of the house unless you’re actively supervising her- which means 100% of your attention is focused on the pup.

In general, a good rule of thumb is that your puppy is confined to the papered area unless she’s sleeping, eating, or being played with/actively supervised.

Things you should do are

- Praise her effusively whenever you see her eliminating on the paper. Wait 'til she’s done (so you don’t distract her!) and praise her, pet her, and give her a treat.

- If you catch her in the act of eliminating off-paper, this is actually a great opportunity for training development. Interrupt her with a clap, loud verbalization (“Ah-ah-aaaah!”), or slap your open palm loudly on the wall. This will startle her – in most cases, she’ll actually stop mid-toilet and hunch down. Scoop her up immediately and put her on the paper. When she finishes, praise her hugely and give her a treat.

- If you come across an accident after the fact (a wet spot or pile on the unpapered floor), you’ve missed your window of opportunity to teach her not to do this. You can’t tell her off in this case, because she won’t understand what she’s done wrong; all you can do is clean it up and supervise her more carefully. If this is happening a lot, you’ve given her too much freedom in the house and not enough supervision: restrict her access to the unpapered floor, and step up the supervision.

- Feed her at specific, scheduled times (for example, a meal at 8 am, 1 pm, and 7 pm) to encourage her to develop an “elimination timetable”.

Common house training problems

2010-06-25T08:25:00.000-04:00

Common house training problems
House training is one of the areas of dog ownership that’s most subject to misunderstanding, confusion, and just plain dread!

Today’s newsletter is going to deal with two of the most common problems surrounding the issue of house training:

- Submissive/excited urination

- Scent marking

Common house training problem #1: Submissive / excited urination

What is it?

A ‘submissive urinator’ is a dog that urinates on the floor and himself (and sometimes on you and any guests you may have!) in situations of extreme excitement or stress - like when you return home at the end of the day, or when he’s being told off.

Why does it happen?

Puppies are the usual candidates for submissive/excited urination, but it’s not uncommon to see adult dogs with the problem as well: usually, these are highly sensitive and timid dogs, and/or ones from a shelter/with a history of abuse (often these last two go hand-in-hand.)

When does it happen?
Situations when an excited/fearful dog is likely to urinate:
- Greeting time after a prolonged absence
- Play time
- The arrival of guests
- Stressful situations at home, eg arguments
- During a correction (you’re telling him off)
- Sudden loud noises (thunder, fireworks)

What can I do about it?

Fortunately, it’s not difficult to “cure” your dog of his submissive/excited urination.

First of all, you should take him to the vet to make sure there’s no medical reason for the issue (like diabetes or a bladder infection.)

Next, it’s time to take control of the problem:

- Limit his intake of water to help him control his bladder more effectively. Don’t restrict his water intake over a prolonged period of time, but if you know there’s a situation coming which would normally result in urination – for example, you have guests coming over, or are planning on a play session soon – take his water bowl away for a period of time (maybe half an hour to an hour) before the event.

- When greeting your dog, keep it calm and mellow. The more excited he is, the harder it is for him to control his bladder, so don’t encourage him to get worked up: ignore him for the first few moments, or give him a neutral “hello”, a quick pat, and then go about making yourself at home.

- It’s important that you DO NOT punish or harshly correct your dog for this behavior. It’s not something that he can easily control, and he’s certainly not doing it on purpose. When you catch him in the act, you can interrupt him (a firm “No!” followed by praise when he stops should suffice) but don’t punish him. Keep your cool, and try to be sympathetic: he doesn’t mean to do it, after all!

- If he urinates out of fear (submissiveness) when scolding him for another offense, try to take the stress levels down a notch by keeping a firm, authoritative, but not angry tone. Remember, you’re dealing with a sensitive, highly-strung dog: if you get angry or worry him further, the problem will worsen.

Common house training problem #2: Scent marking

Scent marking - where a dog “marks” his or her territory with urine – is technically not actually a house training problem, since it’s based on issues of dominance and territoriality rather than insufficient house training (a dog can be perfectly house trained but still mark inside the house.)

However, because – since the problem centers around the unwanted presence of urine in the house – it seems logical, in a way, to link this problem with house training: and since this is one of the most widespread problems among dog owners, we thought it worthwhile to include some practical advice.

Scent marking and lack of house training: how to differentiate between the two

Your dog’s probably scent marking, rather than genuinely relieving himself, if:

- The amount of urine produced is relatively small, and tends to be directed against vertical surfaces (walls, doors, etc)

- He’s male, unneutered, and at least five or six months old. Unneutered dogs are much more territorial than neutered ones –if you have an unneutered dog in the house, you can pretty much expect a certain amount of scent marking. (Unspayed females also mark, but it’s less common; spayed and neutered dogs can also exhibit marking behavior, but it’s relatively infrequent)

- It makes little difference how often he’s taken outside for a toilet break

- He frequently targets items that are new to the house: new possessions, guest clothing/footwear, etc

- You live in a multi-dog household and there is conflict between two or more of the dogs

- There are other, unneutered or unspayed pets in the house

What to do about the problem?

First things first: spay or neuter your dog(s) as soon as you possibly can. If you can do this early enough – ideally, at six months of age - this often halts marking altogether; but if your dog’s been marking for a prolonged period of time, he or she may continue to do so after being spayed or neutered, since a pattern of behavior will have been established.

Clean soiled areas thoroughly. Use a non-ammonia based cleaner (because it smells just like pee) and stay away from vinegar too (it smells similar to pee.) Oxi-Clean mixed with warm water is particularly effective; there are also plenty of commercial cleaners designed specifically to lift pet stains and odors, which you can buy from pet stores and some supermarkets.

Because dogs tend to re-mark the same places, you’ll need to redefine the places that you know he’s marked to prevent repeat offending.

You can do this in a number of ways:

- Feed him next to or on top of the spot
- Play with him there
- Groom him there
- Put his bed over or next to it
- Spend time there yourself: hang out with a book or sit down and work

If there is rivalry between dogs in the household, you’ll need to take steps to resolve it. Any conflict is likely to be hierarchical in nature (a “power struggle”), which means that all you have to do to stop the tension is pay attention to which dog seems to be more dominant than the other one (which one eats first, gets the toys he/she wants, “stares down” another dog), and reinforce this position.

How to do this: feed the dominant dog first. Pet him/her first. Give him/her a toy before anyone else gets one. This makes it clear to all dogs in the house which one really is the dominant dog – and when this hierarchy’s been recognizably established, territorial/dominant behaviors like scent marking often vanish overnight.

Stop Destructive Chewing

2010-06-24T21:34:00.000-04:00

Destructive Chewing
The act of chewing seems to be a matter of individual preference among dogs: some have an innate desire to chew as a pleasurable activity in itself, and some seem to have no need to chew whatsoever unless they�re driven to it out of sheer boredom.

The phrase �destructive chewing� may sound redundant, because � by its very nature! � all chewing is destructive. Your dog has strong jaws full of sharp, pointy teeth: just about anything she starts to chew on is probably going to show the effects of it inside of a minute. So just to clarify, when I use the phrase �destructive chewing�, I�m referring to inappropriate chewing: the kind of chewing that�s focused on your own possessions and household items, instead of on your dog�s own designated toys and chews.

The three main reasons why dogs chew:

- Most dogs have a natural desire to chew. It�s fun, it passes the time, and it�s a self-rewarding, self-reinforcing activity (for example, if she�s chewing on something that tastes good.)

- Chewing provides a nervous, bored, or lonely dog with an outlet for her emotions. To an anxious dog, the repetitive act of chewing is soothing � it�s the doggie equivalent of comfort food.

- Underexercised dogs often use chewing as a way of burning up nervous energy and giving themselves something to do.

- How to prevent destructive chewing -

Dogs are perfectly capable of learning not to chew your stuff � you just have to put in a little effort first, that�s all.

1. Take control of the situation: manage your own possessions. Your first step should be to dog-proof your home. Even if you have the best-behaved dog in the world, there�s still no reason to test her self-control � after all, dogs explore the world with their mouths.

Dog-proofing your home means taking whatever you don�t want to end up in her mouth, and making it unavailable. Consider her size and agility when deciding whether something�s out of reach: can she jump? Can she climb, or leap onto something else to reach the desired object? How tall is she when standing on her back legs?

Common targets in the home include books, eyewear, clothing, shoes, garbage, and small crunchy appliances like cameras, cell phones, and remote controls.

It should go without saying that all food needs to be put securely away: don�t leave snacks on low tables (or even countertops � you�d be surprised how acrobatic she can be when there�s food at stake!), put all food into containers or the pantry. Rinse your dirty plates clean of any food scraps before leaving them by the sink.

2. Prevent her from learning the joys of illegal chewing. The more times she manages to snatch a jawful of a forbidden substance � a chair-leg, a pillow, a running shoe � the more readily she�ll target those items in future. If you can prevent her from chewing your stuff in the first place, it�s a lot easier for her to understand what you expect of her. Practically speaking, this means confining her in a dog-proofed area until you�re confident of her understanding of the house rules.

3. Don�t set her up for failure by blurring the boundaries between her stuff (OK to chew) and your stuff (not OK to chew). Don�t offer your dog cast-off clothes, shoes, or towels to chew and play with: realistically, you can�t possibly expect her to be able to tell the difference between your current shoes and the one she�s got in her mouth that you gave her five minutes ago.

4. Provide her with lots of tasty alternatives to your stuff. If her environment is relatively barren of attractive, appropriate chewing objects, you can hardly blame her for targeting your possessions. Remember, most dogs need to chew; if she�s an adolescent (under three years) or a puppy (under one year), her needs will be even more pronounced. Go on a toy and chew shopping spree, then give her two or three to play with at a time. Rotating the available toys every few days will keep things novel and interesting for her.

5. Spend lots of time in active supervision. Yes, it might be easier for you to just keep her penned up in her crate, run, or the yard � but that�s boring and horrible for her, and hardly much fun for you either (if you wanted a pet that you don�t need to interact with, you�d have got a goldfish, right?) She can�t learn what you expect of her if she�s spending all her time boxed up in the dog-proof zone: she needs the opportunity to explore the boundaries of your expectations, so she can understand what�s appropriate and what�s not.

6. When you catch her chewing something inappropriate, interrupt her by making a loud noise: clap your hands or make an �Ah-ah-aaaah!� noise. Then, immediately hand her a tasty and dog-appropriate alternative (a rawhide bone or other chew toy); as soon as her jaws close around it, praise her lavishly. There is no better way to get your dog to understand that chewing �her� toys equals praise from you, but everything else equals trouble.

- Maintain a productive attitude -

Above all, remember to keep your expectations realistic. You�re not perfect, and neither is your dog: there�s likely to be at least one incident where a cherished item is damaged by her curiosity.

Particularly in the early stages of your relationship, shes still learning the ropes: itll take awhile before shes completely reliable (and even then, if she�s left by herself for too long or feels neglected, she may choose your stuff over hers to occupy her time and jaws with.) Remember to give her time to learn the rules, and plenty of you-time to help her learn faster � and don�t forget to take precautions and keep things out of reach until she�s got the hang of the chewing rules!

For more information on dog training techniques and how to deal with problem dog behavior (like chewing), check out Secrets to Dog Training. It�s the complete manual for dog ownership and is designed to fast-track your dog�s learning.
You can visit the Secrets to Dog Training site by clicking on the link below:
*http://www.kingdomofpets.com/dogobediencetraining/?aff=mdc2727&type=chewing

Tips to Stop Puppy Biting

2010-06-17T19:16:00.000-04:00

One Simple Tip to Stop Puppy Biting

By Mike Chastain

Many of the times that young puppies bite will be because of behavioral instinct, this is where you have to have puppy training. Biting will be as standard for puppies as it is for walking. However that does not necessarily mean we must agree with this. We do not desire puppies to accept biting and then they will grow up and injure someone. Becoming accountable signifies an individual should train your puppy to stop this habit. Nobody enjoys a dog that bites. It is nearly impossible for a puppy to damage a adult, however they could absolutely harm a youngster.
You'll make yourself a better trainer if you first train your puppy the basic command like stay.Attempt to make your training lessons intriguing as well as appealing both for you and your puppy. This is a lot better if you train your dog for ten minutes at any given time, three times a day, compared to thirty minutes daily. The ten minute program amuses you and your dog and the connection that evolves between you throughout these types of lessons will certainly be timeless.
A great time to train your puppy is for ten minutes before he has his breakfast; after that he thinks that the food is a incentive for his being such a great dog. When you follow this schedule for all three meals the training system will be a excellent success. The easiest period to train a puppy is when it is still youthful. Larger, older dogs which bite can significantly injure a person. Generally, biting dogs tend to be euthanized.
Whenever the puppy bites you or someone else, show your disapproval in an exceedingly clear approach. Increase your tone of voice and say "No!", when you have to force the animal away so it gets the point. In no way be aggressive or inflict pain. You won't want to frighten the puppy. After close to two weeks, your dog ought to totally stop biting. Consistency is essential here, do all of it each and every time. The puppy has to obtain a clear concept.
Michael is an avid dog lover and trainer. Come visit his latest site at http://puppytrainingguru.com You will find information on how stop puppy biting and more here.

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Motivational Puppy Training

2010-06-16T20:06:00.000-04:00

When you are obedience training an adult dog there is a balancing act that you must perform. You should motivate your dog to perform the correct behavior and you should correct your dog (e.g. a jerk on the leash) for disobedience of a behavior. Using this formula your dog learns that obedience is fun, but it is also necessary. Too much compulsion and not enough motivation leads to a depressed dog. Too much motivation and not enough compulsion leads to a dog that enjoys obedience, but will only be obedient when he feels like it. When training puppies the formula needs to be altered.

Because they are young, puppies are much more sensitive than adult dogs. Corrections, or compulsion, should be used very sparingly. You must rely heavily on motivation when teaching your puppy obedience.

Many dog owners ask, “How soon can you start training a puppy?” The answer is, right away. At 8 weeks of age you can use motivational techniques to show your dog what certain obedience behaviors are.

The best way to motivate a young puppy is with food. Most puppies love to eat so you can harness that desire to teach them obedience. Grab a handful of your puppies kibble to use as a reward, put him on a leash and let’s get to work.

Pull up gently on the leash while placing pressure on your puppy’s rear with your hand and telling him ‘sit’. The moment his rear hits the ground give him a piece of kibble and tell him what a good boy he is. Do this A LOT. Repetition is key. The more you do this the more it will become ingrained in his little head what ‘sit’ means. Until your puppy understands completely what ‘sit’ means, don’t try this without having a food reward ready. Once he does understand, wean him off the use of food rewards slowly.

Do the same thing for ‘lie down’. Use food to guide his nose toward the ground, while placing a bit of pressure on his back, and telling him ‘lie down’. Be consistent and soon he will understand what ‘lie down’ means.

The most important command to teach him with food is coming when called. Call to your puppy and use whatever you need to get him to you, such as clapping or calling his name. When he gets to you give him his food reward right away. Make it a fun adventure to come when called. Make sure that every time your puppy comes to you he is rewarded in some way. A huge mistake that many people make is to make coming when called a bad experience. Maybe they catch puppy chewing on their shoe so they call out, “Puppy, come here!” Puppy, being puppy, comes bounding over where he is greeted by a spanking. Puppy doesn’t know that the spanking is for the shoe chewing, all he knows is that maybe next time he won’t come when called because there might be a spanking when he gets there.

Just remember, no matter what you are teaching your young puppy, use motivation to get best results.

6 Tips For Proper Dog & Puppy Training

2010-06-14T16:28:00.000-04:00

Try to make your training lessons interesting and appealing both for you and your dog. It is much better if you teach your dog for 10 minutes at a time, three times a day, than for 30 minutes once a day. The 10 minute session amuses both you and your dog and the attachment which develops between you during these lessons will be timeless. A good time to train your dog is for 10 minutes before you give him his breakfast; then he assumes that the meal is a reward for his being such a good dog. If you follow this schedule for all three meals your puppy training program will be a great success.

Giving Commands:

When you give commands use the shortest phrase possible and use the same word with the same meaning at all times. If you want to teach your dog to sit, then always use the word SIT. If you want your dog to lie down, then always use the word DOWN. It doesn't matter what word you use as long as your dog becomes used to hearing it and acts upon it. Unless you are consistent in your use of commands you can never train your dog properly.

What to Teach Your Dog:

Your dog should certainly learn the essentials necessary to good behavior. First of all, your dog should be housebroken. Then he should learn how to walk properly with a collar and leash, after which he should be taught the simple commands of HEEL, SIT, COME, and STAY. Only after a dog has learned these commands is it safe to train him on a leash. Once your dog gets into the swing of his training it is wise to continue to train him in more difficult performances. After all, the hardest part of the job is establishing a communication system so that each of you learns what to expect of each other. Once your dog learns a trick or a command he will hardly ever forget it if you repeat it every so often. Begging, giving his paw, playing dead and rolling over, are entertaining tricks which you, your family and your dog can enjoy to mutual benefit. There are, however, more important lessons first. How to stop dog jumping.

How to Housebreak Your Puppy:

Every house dog should be housebroken. Teaching your dog to relieve himself outdoors or on paper indoors is the most vital part of his early training. You must begin housebreaking while he is still a puppy. Keep in mind the fact that a puppy must be fed more often than an adult dog, and consequently must relieve himself more frequently. Here are some rules in housebreaking a puppy.

Housebreaking Your Puppy Outdoors:

1. Take your dog outside as frequently as possible. If you don't have the time to spend with him outdoors, then tie your dog outside until he has performed his duties.

2. Start out as soon after meals as possible because puppies will usually relieve themselves right after they eat.

3. Keep him outdoors until he does his duty. Once he gets used to the idea that he will be allowed indoors again as soon as his duty is completed, he will take care of the job much sooner.

Housebreaking Your Puppy Indoors:

1. Start teaching your puppy about paper, when he is very young and can hardly walk by himself.

2. Take your puppy to the paper every time you catch him in the act. It often helps to blot some of his liquid errors on the paper and leave that soiled paper on top of clean paper so he will get to know that this is the place for him to do his duty. It usually takes about a week.

The Labrador Retriever - The Perfect Dog For Any Family

2010-06-13T16:41:00.001-04:00

The Labrador Retriever - The Perfect Dog For Any Family

By Mike Chastain

Labrador Retriever puppies are not just adorable but make amazing family pets. Their distinct cleverness tends to make them fantastic to work with and simple to train if you are certain of exactly what you are doing. A person ought to however, as with any kind of puppy, you want to begin instruction during infancy, to make certain that, one day, your dog will certainly end up being your best buddy. Component one of Labrador puppy training involves housebreaking.
Bathroom coaching is essential. The ultimate way to achieve success quickly, it is best to set a regular program when planning on taking your puppy outside. It is important to utilize a simple command to acknowledge whenever the time is right to relieve themselves. Persistently bringing your puppy outside every couple of hours, with only one, fast command, for instance "go potty", is actually the simplest way to begin. Increasing the time periods will ultimately help to make life simpler, while still giving your puppy the message that relieving himself should be carried out outside the house. Ultimately they will begin to understand exactly what you expect of them. This may very well include just as much training for the pet owner as for the puppy
The following lab training tip you need to concentrate on is walking your pup on the lead. This is certainly something you must get right. Many Labrador retrievers are tremendously strong.Be sure and be relaxed and calm when walking you dog and keep a tight leash with the dog close to you at first.
Even though a lab is quite a powerful and independent dog, additionally it is one who would want to please. What this means is it is very important make them learn to walk alongside you, and never in front or behind. Constantly turn your puppy in the opposite course when he starts to pull on the leash, coming back to your initial path only if he has calmed all the way down. This way, your puppy regards you as being the leader, which happens to be crucial in additional facets of behavior training.
All young puppies chew because they teethe. Another problem to test is biting the moment they teethe. Keep in mind this is a natural thing for dogs. What we have to here is make use of that in-born behavior in a very optimistic way. Quite simply, allow them to bite the correct things. A typical style here (as well as in all canine training) would be to lightly correct undesirable conduct. Do not raise your voice at them or hit them. All this is going to do is scare then and worry is no good as being a training aid (in spite of just what a few dummies believe). Individually, I have found the easiest way is for the pack head to become dominant (be sure you would be the one in charge) but additionally turn everything right into a game.I know lots of people that have done this over time but were very unmindful that it was a "technique"
On the way be sure you guide them what exactly is a suitable thing to bite, which does not consist of people, no matter if carried out play. To strengthen this you have to provide them with many toys or even rope to chew on till their teeth develop completely. Whenever they do bite, lightly correct them and carry on using a toy as an alternative.
Prosperous lab puppy training should have a great balance of physical exercise, and powerful, regular instruction. Always work with the puppy utilizing positive, as well as continuous attitude, in no way using physical punishment to fix unwanted habits. In a short time, you will have a faithful caring dog.
Michael has been writing articles on a wide variety of subjects, but writing about Labs is his favorite subject as he has two, Maggie and Elvis. Both Chocolate labs. Come visit my latest site at http://puppytrainingguru.com/ You will find information and reviews for other Labrador puppy training here.

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The Labrador Retriever - The Perfect Dog For Any Family

2010-06-12T12:18:00.001-04:00